Her Penelope
by Crimson MirrorGlass
Summary: Request from AllStarsGirl. "I thought Emily was your 'Penelope.' She's not though, is she? Spencer is." Spalison. Things with -A are getting out of control. Alison knows that she may need to take brutal means to protect the girls. All the while, she knows she needs to stay away from Spencer. Trigger warnings for mentions of various kinds of abuse, including sexual.
1. Little Sister

Disclaimer: Own nothing

Summary: "I thought Emily was your 'Penelope.' She's not though, is she? Spencer is." Spalison of sorts. Alison needs to stay away from Rosewood. She knows this, but it's so hard when she knows Spencer is _right_ there.

 **Her Penelope: Little Sister**

It had occurred to Cece Drake not long ago that she was seeing the modern physical embodiment of Homer's "The Odyssey" right in front of her. She had never been one to read that many Greek and Roman myths, but this was the closest she'd ever know personally to something like Homer's work. Alison couldn't go home to Rosewood. She was receiving threatening texts and emails constantly from this _–A_ creep and all Cece knew was that she was going to kill to protect her little girl. She'd protect the girl from the Cyclopses, the sirens and the twisted goddesses that might try to lead her little Alison astray. She'd do it by any ruthless means imaginable.

Alison might not have been related to her by blood but the young DiLaurentis girl was the closest the older blonde had to a little sister. Cece in truth had never had any younger siblings. When she imagined one, Alison was the person that immediately came to mind. Seeing Alison in so much pain now was almost more than she could take.

The younger blonde was rocking back and forth on the branch she sat on relentlessly. "Dammit," Alison hissed, staring from photograph to photograph of the girls being filmed-clearly without their knowledge. Photographs that had been delivered tauntingly to Ali.

"I have to see them," Alison said at last, shoving the photographs into her pocket, "I have to go check on them." Cece nodded. She knew it was inevitable. As inevitable as the sun coming up the next day. Even if _–A_ weren't after the girls, Alison was _going_ to see them-just to see if they were alright.

Alison pulled on her provisions-some essentials like a hoodie to keep her hidden and her backpack full of dried fruit, water bottles and crackers. Long lasting stuff like that. It kind of helped when you were separated from civilization and had to survive on your own. Alison leaned back against the bough of the tree, her head balanced on the palm of her right hand, elbow digging into the length of the branch.

Cece felt endless amusement at Alison's speculative look. It was so strange, but Alison had adjusted to a survivor's life so well. She knew how to cook for herself, knew how to tend to her own injuries, knew how to steal without anyone realizing it (actually she kind of already knew how to do that-courtesy of Cece's tutoring), knew how to drive and had even taught herself some martial arts for protection.

When someone imagined Alison-really, when anyone imagined the golden-haired beauty, they likely imagined her as the spoiled princess of her own palace, with thousands of servants waiting on her hand and foot-Cece would want the same. It was likely that no one could imagine Alison as a hardened survivor, someone that was now capable of surviving in both the city and the woods regularly without any help, but that was exactly what had happened.

Alison was unafraid of the streets of New York and Philly. She had survived by herself so well. Which did sometimes bring Cece to the question-why did the younger blonde not go back to Rosewood? Was this _–A_ or multiple _–A's_ as in an _A-Team_ be so terrible that they made even the worst scum on the streets of the cities look tame?

No. Cece knew high school feuds. She knew them well. She was the start of many of them. She knew.

That was not why Ali stayed away.

Guilt. Cece knew.

Guilt was a horrible canker that irritated and burned till you became paralyzed and felt unable to do anything. Cece had felt the burn only a few times. Mostly because she felt like she couldn't do anything to protect Ali. Alison felt ashamed for how she treated her friends. Cece knew that. Alison was afraid of facing her friends after what she did.

True, she knew well enough that Alison feared this _–A's_ wrath. But what she feared more was any harm coming to those four girls back in Rosewood.

Cece tried to hold back a smirk as she watched Alison drop down from the tangles of wide, large boughs that crowned the tree, seeing the blonde land on her feet gracefully in front of the trunk. Oh, Cece had heard plenty of stories from Alison about those girls. About Spencer Hastings, Emily Fields, Hanna Marin and Aria Montgomery. She had met three of those girls herself once. Honestly, she wasn't sure what the fuss Alison had over those girls was about, but Ali loved them clearly, and if she wanted to protect the four of them, then Cece was with Alison till this shit was over, if ever.

"We'll get out of this, Ali." Cece promised, "We will. Right now, I'm sure it's safe to visit them on occasion, okay? Especially your honey, right?" She smirked at Alison's scowl. She knew that that Emily Fields girl had a big crush on Alison, "Just make sure this _–A_ creep doesn't find out. And you don't have to stay unless you want to. Honestly, I think you'd be better off if we all just cut and ran, but you do what you want."

Alison nodded, glancing to the left where Noel Kahn's black Lexus was parked. The situation was messed up. Not just because of whoever the hell _–A_ was or Mona and her goons. Cece knew that Alison's home life wasn't exactly a happy one.

Jason-Cece had liked the guy. Really, she had. He was nice to spend time around. The sex had been hot-hell, Jason was hot, but she wasn't delusional. She had seen how Jason had acted around Alison. He wasn't a very good brother. Granted, Cece knew that Alison couldn't have been an easy sister to have around 24/7. Alison was like a mini me. She saw much of herself in the younger blonde.

Alison had changed so much though, become a bit more reasonable and kinder. But before, Alison had been more manipulative and controlling than even Cece. No, she understood why Jason might have had a hard time around the young girl, but that didn't change that he was Alison's big brother and supposed to protect her. He had failed. Big time.

That was where Cece and Noel came in. They were better siblings to Alison than Jason ever could be. And Cece wasn't even going to get started on how toxic the relationship was between Alison and her mother Jessica.

Jessica…..Cece sometimes had to swallow that pile of disgust that would build up whenever she thought of that woman. Alison had told her the story about why she had disappeared, and about what Jessica DiLaurentis had done when Alison had been hit in the back of her head with that rock.

Alison's own mother…buried her alive. Cece sometimes had to knuckle down her rage to stop herself from going back into Rosewood, hauling Jessica out of her house and beating her to death in the streets. That woman-she had heard Alison's stories and some of Noel and Shana's stories that pretty much confirmed Alison's claims.

Jessica was verbally abusive. Emotionally abusive. Neglectful. Sometimes even physically abusive, though those times seemed to be rare.

And Kenneth, Alison's father, though never having raised a hand or even his voice, had stood by and let it happen. He was weak.

Alison's whole family was messed up and undeserving of her. Cece felt a smile spread over her face. That was what she, Noel and Shana were here for.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Alison's next words, "Let's go." "Hmm?" Cece mumbled, lifting her head at the smaller girl. "Let's go." Alison repeated, "To Rosewood. I need to see them. Especially-" Alison glanced at the ground, swallowing, "Never mind. I just need to see how they are. If they're safe and if they're happy. And….." Alison looked to Noel's car to make sure the black-haired young man wasn't stepping out and listening, "And, I really need to see how Sp-how the girls are." Cece cocked her head at Alison's near slip up, but listened to what the other girl had to say next, "So can you come with me and make sure no one's watching?" Cece smirked at Alison as the younger girl turned to her, blue eyes giving a very rare look.

A look of pleading. Cece sighed, previously tense face that had been triggered by her thoughts of Alison's family softened at the sight of the young girl's eyes. She suspected only those four girls could elicit such a reaction.

"Alright, Ali," She nodded, "Lets go then."

Alison smiled brightly, making a swell of warmth shoot through Cece. She loved it when Ali clearly was so happy like she had been just now. Expressing genuine emotion was difficult for Alison. Cece knew that. It usually had been. Living in a family like the one Alison lived with was difficult. Very few things were genuine in that family. Cece liked to think that she coaxed out more genuine responses from Alison than that rotten family did.

The young survivor walked over to Noel's car, opening up the back door. Cece followed, wondering (hoping) that Alison had a plan for when they reached Rosewood. Knowing her little sister-well, the closest Cece ever had to a little sister, the girl already had five or six plans up her sleeves about how they were going to check up on the girls and Spencer.

If Alison didn't, then Cece sure did.

After all, Cece had decided that she'd do anything to make sure Alison was happy, including risk her neck for those who she knew nothing about, save for the stories Alison had told her.

With that, Cece got into the backseat next to Alison and they both secured the seatbelts. Noel checked behind him at the girls. When he was sure that they were all strapped in, he turned back to the windshield and started up his car.

Noticing that there was a person missing in the front seat, next to Noel, Cece spoke up, looking at Alison, "Where's Shana?"

Alison answered without looking at Cece, "She's already in Rosewood. I asked her to get there early. So she's already there. She's gotten close to Emily already from what I heard."

Cece nodded as Noel pulled out of the parking spot. She turned to Alison, careful with how she phrased the question as they all had to tread carefully, "Ali, do you want me to work somewhere in Rosewood? Like Shana? Do you want me to make sure the girls are safe?"

Alison nodded, cerulean eyes pained. "Yes," She answered, "Work close to them. Maybe in one of the places where they shop. Or do something at the school. I just want someone to keep a close watch on them."

Cece understood. She knew how much those girls, save for Emily, liked shopping. She was a spy. There could be a nicer way of seeing it, but that was exactly how it was. She was supposed to spy on those girls. Hopefully, in particular, get close to Emily, though after that slip up that Alison almost said, she was starting to wonder. She knew enough now about the girls from Alison's stories to know what techniques to use and what to say, where to go.

Alright, if this was what Alison wanted, she'd go in and take a job at some shopping area. Or maybe that coffee place where Alison said they'd been hanging out lately-that place, "The Brew" where she, Spencer, Emily and Aria first met. Somewhere. She'd look after them, especially Emily for the kid sister she never had but always wanted.

 **Okay, I hope you like the very first chapter of my fic, AllStarsGirl. This will be only the first. I don't know how many I'll have, but there will be more than just this one. I'm sorry it took me so long to get this one out. I'll try to get the other chapters in sooner, promise. And yes, this is going to be a Spalison fic. Alison's in love with Spencer but Cece doesn't know that yet. Partly from Alison's perspective but mainly from Cece's perspective.**

 **Spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen the end of season 4 or the end of season 6A:**

 **Cece is not _-A_ in this and neither is Shana. Someone else is.**


	2. True Love

**Chapter 2: True Love**

 **Four years before the series begins**

Cece kept an amused smile on her face as Jason walked her to the DiLaurentis house. Jason kept posturing and trying to make himself sound cool for her. Really, it was all something Cece had seen before. Not that she didn't appreciate it. What girl didn't like guys trying to be all manly just to impress her?

Too bad they often came across as stupid lugs of meat when they did.

The two of them encroached on the house and as they walked up the steps, Jason proudly grinned, pulling open the door and escorting his new girlfriend inside. She hoped his parents would like her. They sounded okay. From what she had heard about Jason's little sister, Alison though, she wasn't sure how to react to meeting the kid. Alison sounded self-absorbed, narcissistic and self-righteous. Sounded like her kind of girl, personally.

She entered, Jason followed after her. "Mom!" Jason called loudly, turning around in the middle of the house, though there was no sign of anyone, "Mom! I'm home. Cece's here!"

There were footsteps running down the stairs and a middle-aged woman with blonde hair and streaks of grey came down the stairs, bright eyes flew over to the two teenagers, observing Cece. Cece waved her right hand in greeting. "Hello, Mrs. DiLaurentis." She smiled, "Nice to meet you." Jessica smiled pleasantly, giving the young woman a subtle look over, though Cece knew immediately that Jason's mother was doing it.

"Nice to meet _you,_ " Cece emphasized, hiding the distaste she felt at this woman's gaze, "I've heard so much about you from Jason. I was so hoping to meet you." She offered her hand, a radiant smile of utter confidence and exuberance flashing at the older woman. Jessica eyed her. This time, she was not being very subtle at all.

However, she walked forward, shaking Cece's hand in her own and nodded towards the living room. The three of them went in, each sitting down. Cece leaned back into the couch next to her boyfriend as he slung his arm around her shoulders. She tried not to roll her eyes at him-simply for the sake of his mother being in the room. Clearly, Jason wasn't sure what "appropriate behavior with his girlfriend in front of his parents" was supposed to be like.

Then again, she shouldn't judge. She knew that. She had hardly been appropriate with past boyfriends and their parents, had she?

"Can I get you anything to drink?" Jessica asked, politely, as if she never had looked over the young woman with caution and veiled disapproval.

Cece observed Jessica closely. The older woman wasn't unattractive. Though her face was clearly aged, she was quite beautiful. Not as beautiful as Cece of course, but attractive. Grey stands of hair fell down to her neck, mixed with the blonde. Cool, collected light green eyes watched Cece with as much concentration as Cece regarded the older woman.

"So, Cece," Jessica began in that pleasant voice that Cece recognized as such a superficial tone, "Jason tells me you two met at UPenn. How do you like it there?"

Cece smiled in her most charming manner, "It's absolutely wonderful. The campus is beautiful, the classes are exciting. I just love some of the literature classes. And of course," She added, leaning against Jason, smiling at him warmly, "Jason's there, so it's even more wonderful."

What she didn't say was the opposite of what came out of her mouth. What she really thought of UPenn, however was- _it's really boring there. They're teaching us stuff I already knew a long time ago. The classes aren't that interesting. I'm not even sure I like your son that much, but at least he makes being there more entertaining than if he wasn't._

But no need for Jessica to know that, right?

She didn't need to know either that Jason's college buddies, Darren Wilden, Ian Thomas and Garrett Reynolds creeped her out big time either. Yeah, they were creepy, needless to say. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was just something off about them.

But she tried not to think about that. Right now she was in a pleasant conversation…more or less pleasant conversation with her boyfriend's mother. Okay, not much good here, but Cece knew she needed to keep her mind on track, particularly with this waspy woman looking at her like she was about to grow another head.

Cece just kept a pleasant smile as she turned and looked at the older woman. "And it's been absolutely lovely dating your son. You raised him right." Again, that was completely different from what she thought. Jason was involved with some things that Cece knew that if anyone else outside of a privileged, rich white boy did, he'd have been locked up a long time ago. Drug possession, drug abuse, selling drugs, sleeping with underage girls, just to name a few things he had done wrong. Cece wasn't an idiot. She knew damn well what kind of person Jason was. He was entertaining to her and was handsome.

But that was where his charm ended.

Still, if she could play her cards right, she might be able to get a lot of money out of this family.

There was the sound of the doorknob turning and the door swung open, a bubbly, chipper voice singing through the house, "Hey! I'm home, mom!" A young, feminine voice called out. Cece turned as Jason and Jessica did. Cece felt a smile tug on her lips. It looked like Jason's little sister was home.

A small, thin but curvy girl with deep gold wavy hair flowing down near her lower back waltzed into the room, heart shaped face glowing as an all too innocent smile crossed the said face. As soon as the figure appeared, shining cerulean eyes meeting Cece's, Cece felt her mouth drop slightly.

"Hi, mom," Alison sang out, cocking her head, "And Jason," Was it Cece's imagination or had Alison's voice become a little cooler when saying her brother's name? As Alison turned to her brother, her eyes widened a little, seeing Cece.

"Oh, hey," Alison said, smiling widely, "You must be Cece Drake, right?"

Cece felt like her brain had been shut off for a moment. Soon though, she realized that there were three people staring at her with questions in their eyes and she found her voice at long last. "Yes, yes. I'm Cece," She nearly coughed out, feeling heat rush to her cheeks at her undignified response, "And you must be Alison. It's so nice to meet you finally," She stood up slowly, Jason gradually joining her, "Jason's told me so much about you. All good things, I promise."

Alison smirked, chuckling, "I doubt it. Jason has a hard time keeping his mouth shut. Probably told you all this awful stuff about me." The younger blonde play glared at her brother and Jason scowled before rolling his eyes, grumbling "whatever" under his breath.

Cece tilted her head a little as she watched Alison. There was something strange that clicked at the sight of this girl. It was something that she had thought she'd feel when she'd fall in love, but never before in any relationship with the many men in her life-and she'd admit, some women-she instantly felt as she saw this girl.

It wasn't romantic. She understood that immediately. It was something though. Something strong, warm and expanding. It was like the first time a mother saw her baby in the hospital after birth. Cece felt herself stumble back, not ready for the onslaught of warmth or emotions bombarding her.

Normally, she wasn't this emotional. No one she had met before had inspired these kinds of intense waves of emotions. But Cece understood at that very moment, though there was nothing sexual here, she understood at that very moment what true love was.

Realizing what she was doing and that she was still being stared at, she shook her head and smiled, "I'm sorry," She exclaimed, still stunned, but covering it up quickly, "I've just had a lot on my mind. So Alison, I hear you go to Rosewood High. I used to go there when I was your age."

Alison's right, thin golden eyebrow arched up and Cece withheld a laugh, suspecting that the younger thought that her brother was dating a weirdo. But instead, the younger girl said in a calm, albeit incredibly charming tone that Cece was all too familiar with, "Oh, that sounds great. How was it? It's not that interesting now. Was probably really great when you went there. Were the boys as cute then as they are now?"

"Alison!" Jessica chastised, staring hard, but Cece grinned. Oh yes, this girl was amazing. "I don't know. I guess it depends on standards. They might have been as cute, but I'll have to say, their intelligence wasn't that high. Are they as stupid now as they were then?"

Alison grinned back, "Don't know. They had to have been pretty stupid to be as dumb as they are now. Some of them think the pinnacle of masculinity is to make as many farting noises as possible in class."

Cece chuckled, "Sounds about right."

The two smirking blonde women stayed focused on each other as Jessica swallowed, uncertainty in her voice as she looked between them, "So, Cece, are you staying for dinner?"

Cece turned to look at Jessica, her intense gaze broken from Alison's curious one and moving to Jessica's apprehensive eyes. She recognized the ambiguity of the statement and on Jessica's face easily. Jessica was just asking to be polite. She clearly didn't want Cece to be here. Cece nearly smirked at that. The fact that Jessica wanted her gone just enforced Cece's decision to stay for dinner. She didn't even need Jason's prompting. Jessica's hidden distaste for her was all she could ask for.

Then she heard Alison's voice.

"I think that would be great." Came the chipper voice in front of Cece. Cece turned and looked at the younger girl. Alison's already bright blue eyes brightened even more at the thought of this older and what Cece gathered Alison had come to believe "cool" woman would be sitting with them. Alison wanted to get to know her. A huge smile spread across Cece's face. Nothing would make her happier.

Even without the entertainment of Jessica DiLaurentis's discomfort, the fact that Alison wanted her here, immediately made Cece's decision for her-no need for Jason or Jessica to cinch it for her.

"I would be absolutely honored." Cece grinned, watching with delight as Alison beamed happily, her smile widening if possible.

She barely noticed out of the corner of her eye how Jessica's eye twitched and how the older woman wrinkled her nose at her, or how Jason was mumbling, "mom, seriously" next to her.

And that was the day Cece Drake met her one true love. Romance and being in love had nothing to do with it. Cece didn't expect anyone, especially not Jason, Jessica and Kenneth to understand, but that's how it was.

It only took two more years for Cece to confirm to herself that she would do anything and everything to keep Alison safe and happy, including risking life and limb to protect those four silly friends of hers.


	3. Alison's Protector-Garrett's Killer

**Warnings: This chapter gets kind of dark. Warnings for attempted rape and mentions of underage sex and abuse and drug abuse. Also gore later in the chapter. Making this an M-rated story, to be safe**

 **Takes place half a year before Alison's disappearance.**

 **Chapter 3: The Protector**

Cece knew a creeper when she saw one. And there was no way around it; Garrett Reynolds was just that. Jason likely thought that Garrett being his friend was a redeemable quality. It wasn't. If anything it only confirmed in Cece's mind that the dark-haired college boy-soon to be graduate was shady at best.

The approval of Jason DiLaurentis-a drug user and philanderer of underage women was a far cry from proof that someone was trustworthy.

So it shouldn't have come as a shock to Cece when one night when she was over at Jason's house, watching with amusement as Jason collapsed onto the expensive couch in the DiLaurentis living room, completely shit-faced drunk, when she heard commotion upstairs. Specifically, Alison's cries and a chuckle. Cece froze and it only took her two seconds to whirl around and bolt up the stairs fast, grabbing the now empty beer bottle by the neck off the carpet from where Jason had dropped it while coming in. She clutched it close as she dove for Alison's room.

If Ian, Darren or Garrett were up there…

She wasn't stupid. She knew what kind of people they were. She had seen how they looked at Alison too. She recognized that look a little too well. Better than she'd like. She tore up the stairs, to the ajar oak door of Alison's room, seeing shadows move around against the wall and the door. Her blood iced over when she heard struggling and Alison's hissing, "Get the fuck off me, Reynolds!" Cece narrowed her eyes. So it was Garrett.

A chuckle dispersed from within the room, "Oh, Ali, we both know you don't mean that. Come on, you'll like it. I'll be gentle."

Cece felt bile rise in her throat, red flooding her vision as she crashed through the door, beer bottle raised in the air. She barely registered the look Alison gave her as she was pinned against the wall-a look of across between pure fear and shock and the startled expression on Garrett's face, his darkened eyes clearing up and the mouth that Cece would gather had once been in a lecherous grin parted in astoundment.

What made her even more furious was the sight of Garrett's hands. One was pinning Alison to the wall, her hands above her head, hand at her wrists. His other hand was undoing her shorts. Fury and bloodlust took hold of the older blonde. This scumbag wouldn't touch her Ali again.

"Garrett!" She spat, lunging forward, teeth bared, bringing the bottle down on his head.

The brown glass bottle made contact with his head and Garrett's howl flew through the air, the jolt of vibration from the blow shaking the young woman. She grinned in satisfaction as the blow forced Garrett to release Alison and the younger blonde immediately bolted from the wall, running around both of them and hiding behind Cece, grabbing onto the nearest thing she could use to protect herself, which was one of the glass figurines Alison had scattered around her desk, waving it dangerously at Garrett. Cece stood back and did the same with the bottle, refusing to move away from Alison.

Garrett's hands gripped at his head, face contorted in an agonized grimace. Slowly, he turned his head up to face the two blondes, dark eyes opening to glare at the older one. "Dammit, Drake," He growled, "I wasn't going to hurt her. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Cece scowled, teeth still grinding together, holding the neck of the bottle hard. "What's wrong with me?" She parroted coldly, "What's wrong with _you?_ You fucking rapist! Child molester! Do you have any idea what they'll do to you in prison?!"

Garrett parted his head from his hands, staring hard. "It's just sex, Drake," He sneered, face rippling with utter pain. Alison dared to move around the older blonde, teeth gritted together, "Is that what you tell yourself after you've raped someone? I bet you tell yourself that all the time after all the young girls you've fucked!"

"Why you-" Garrett growled, stepping forward before Cece stepped close again, raising the bottle threateningly next to Alison. Garrett's eyes widened and stepped back. "My mistake," He relented, quieter than he intended. His eyes shifted with want and disappointment at Alison before scowling at Cece. "Fine, you win, for tonight Drake." He growled, turning and walking around the all too cautious blondes, heading for the door. He walked out, his footsteps vibrating through the stairs.

Neither blonde moved. Three ticks flew by, and the house shook with the slam of the door-telling them Garrett had left.

Finally, Cece chanced looking down, where she saw shaking going up and down Alison's body. Her eyes narrowed, feeling a choke begin to slide into her throat at the sight of her "little sister" like this. Immediately, she dropped the beer bottle onto Alison's bed and leaned in, pulling the younger blonde into her arms. "It's okay, Ali," she whispered into the other's golden hair as the younger girl, pushed her arms out, fighting her own tears and cries, "It's alright."

"No it's not." Alison snapped, sobs wracking her body, "how can it be alright?!"

Alison kept struggling, tears streaming into Cece's dress, but the older blonde didn't care or budge. Finally, after what felt like ages, Cece felt Alison collapse against her, sobs being released fully. Tears and snot fell into the fabric of Cece's expensive dress, and the older blonde still didn't care. She hugged Alison tightly, kissing the smaller one's forehead. "Shh," She whispered against her chosen sister's ear, "Shh. It's okay. I'm here. I swear, if Garrett or anyone else tries anything like that again, I'll kill them." Cece sat on the edge of the bed, pulling the still shaking and crying Alison into her lap.

Her icy gaze fell on the ajar door to Ali's room. She meant it-every word. She had never killed anyone before, but Cece swore that if she ever got the chance to kill one of those scumbags for what they did to Alison, she'd take it.

 **Two years later:**

 **Season 3:**

 **This is a Dark Ride:**

Cece stood before Garrett, a cold smile plastered on her lips beneath the Queen of Hearts costume. Garrett backed away, hands up in pleading.

"Listen," the ex-cop reasoned, "I'm done, okay? I didn't tell Spencer anything except that I wasn't the one that killed Alison. I told her about Ali and Byron Montgomery, but that's it! I didn't tell her anything else. I'm leaving town and I won't come back. You don't have to worry about me!"

Cece almost cackled. Oh, Garrett had no idea….

Cece just stepped forward, pulling out the dagger she had hidden, revealing the gleaming blade to the terrified man. Cece could practically count the seconds as Garrett's eyes grew huge. "No," He pleaded, eyes looking up at the masked Cece, unaware of who was hiding under the mask, "No, don't! Who is this?! Darren? Melissa? Lucas?! Please, I swear, I'm not a threat!"

Cece felt her grin spread. She shifted her eyes around the room. There was no one here to see her face. She reached up and pulled her mask off. Revealing her face to Garrett. She watched as the dark-haired man processed her and his mouth dropped. Though her pale blonde hair was obscured by the ridiculous black head case wrapped over her head and neck and chin, her face was uncovered and clear for Garrett to see.

"Drake…" Garrett barely whispered.

Cece smirked, cocking her head. "Garrett Reynolds," She began, voice thick and dripping with mocking, "I once warned you what would happen. How was it being a cop in a jail cell? Did all the crooks get to fuck you in the ass or just the really tough ones? Then again, it doesn't much to break a pedophile, does it? All one would have to do is fuck you like the piece of shit you are."

She took another step towards Garrett, grin becoming frighteningly wide, dagger gripped in hand. Garrett backed up into the train's hallway wall. "Time to die, Garrett." She sneered, raising the knife, "You're going to pay for all those years you harassed Ali."

"No," Garrett shook his head, looking like a trapped animal, blood drained from his face, "I didn't kill her! You got the wrong guy!"

Cece couldn't believe what she was hearing. _That_ was what he thought she was going to kill him for?! "Oh believe me, Garrett," She snorted, "I know. A hypocritical sack of shit like you could never have the spine to kill someone. You're too weak. You lack conviction. No, that's not why I'm going to slash your throat." She spat making Garrett whimper. She could practically hear his heart thunder in his chest.

"You terrorized Ali for years, Garrett," Cece sneered, "You harassed her, abused her and molested her every chance you got. You might not have killed her, but you made her life a living hell! You, Wilden, Thomas and that rotten family of hers!"

Garrett shook, terrified. "No," He pleaded, "It was just sex! I didn't kill-"

"Don't!" Cece screamed, making Garrett jump, "You think that excuses _anything?!_ You tried to violate her. You made her feel like she meant nothing! You made her feel helpless! Like a slave! It's a pity I don't have the time to make you feel the same way, but slashing you up will have to do." She grinned darkly, teeth grinding, "It's too bad I didn't get to Ian. At least Alison got the satisfaction of killing him."

If Cece had a camera, she would happily record the shock on Garrett's face. It was priceless.

"Wha…..?" He mumbled, confusion storming in dark eyes.

Cece laughed, "Oh, you haven't guessed? Ali's alive, Garrett. She was the one that killed Ian. To protect Spencer no less." As she watched Garrett absorb this, she took a final step forward, knife blade kissing the flesh of his neck, making him freeze, horrified eyes never leaving her.

Cece grinned like a satisfied cat at Garrett, "Darren's next. I'll let Ali know that one of her tormentors is dead. I'll at least be able to fulfill my promise to my little sister. Jason never protected her, but _I_ will." With that one last determined statement, she pulled her arm to the right with savage force and the knife's blade slit the skin of Garrett's throat. Pink flesh sliced open, a sea of dark liquid falling like rain out down his chest. Garrett's mouth dropped open in despair, hands going to his throat, desperate to close the wound.

Cece smirked, backing away, letting Garrett stumble away, still grabbing at his throat. She wasn't a medic so she had no idea, but she had cut an area she was sure would ensure him to bleed to death slowly. Nothing less for a goddamn child molester.

She watched as puddles of dark liquid stained the train's rug. Following him, she kept the blade close. Garrett smashed into walls as he coughed out, blood still falling. She heard him croak out, "help….please, help…."

Cece felt a wicked laugh fill the air and Garrett jumped, turning back, horror in his eyes as the still maddeningly grinning woman stalked him. Cece was sure that this was like something out of a horror movie. But Garrett deserved every terrible thing he got.

Finally, Garrett collapsed onto the floor, stomach down, gurgling as blood poured out, body still twitching in utter pain. Cece smirked. Dying slowly and in pain. This was what Garrett deserved. It she couldn't make Garrett feel violated as he made Alison feel, then she could at least do this for her baby sister.

She heard footsteps running from the other hall in the next car towards this car. Frowning, Cece pulled her mask back on and walked through the other door into the opposite car. She kept her gloved hands on the dagger hiding from anyone that might see. She checked out the window of the car door through her mask into the train car where Garrett's soon to be corpse lay. She needed to see who was coming.

Jenna Cavanaugh and Melissa Hastings emerged onto the floor of the car. Cece narrowed her eyes. Somehow, it didn't surprise her at all that Melissa was a part of this. She knew that Melissa was a part of that night, and that Melissa had despised Alison. Not to mention the oldest Hastings child-well, second oldest, if you counted Jason-only cared about herself. Melissa was the most self-centered person alive.

It was no shock at all that Melissa was part of the A-Team.

"Who the hell did this?" Jenna demanded, stunned as she stared down at her once lover.

Melissa, completely shocked as well, holding a golden lion mask in her hands, shook her head. "I have no idea. Maybe Mona. She _did_ get out, right?" She said, making Cece freeze. That nut bag, Mona knew how to get out of Radley without help? Well, that really wasn't good. Melissa still looked concerned, before her face steeled in resolve, "But we have to hide him. Maybe Mona did it, maybe not. We have to hide him." She looked at Jenna, "Wilden put the drug in Aria's drink. He brought her to the other car. We can put Garrett into the crate with her and throw them both over the side."

Cece almost fell over when she heard that. Wait, what?! They were doing what to Aria now? Aria was drugged and about to be thrown into a crate and thrown overboard? Wait, what?!

Cece shuddered. Damn. She had suspected that the A-Team was capable of just about anything, but Melissa was turning out to be a cold-blooded killer. She knew that there was always something about her that creeped the blonde out. She knew Alison didn't like the older Hastings daughter for a reason.

She turned as Melissa walked over to Garrett's legs and hoisted them up as Jenna grabbed his arms. She had to go get Noel and Shana. They were going to rescue Aria.

 **Before anyone mentions that the NAT club that Garrett, Jason and Ian were a part of was in high school, not college, I'm aware. I changed that though. Something always resonated with me that they mainly went after younger girls. Like there was a high school and college difference in age, that's how I always read it. And there can be some seriously creepy clubs and frats in college, you know?**

 **Oh, and again, Shana's never -A. So Shana's completely loyal to Ali in this.**

 **And for those wondering about Cece having the other Queen of Hearts costume, there's an explanation for that in the next chapter. Darren was the one that drugged Aria, as mentioned. Cece's doing this to protect the Liars. Melissa never had that costume in this.**


	4. This is why it's good to be Undercover

**Chapter 4: This is why it's good to be Undercover:**

 **This is a Dark Ride:**

"Dammit, Noel," Cece grumbled as she and the other two hauled their way through the colorfully dressed crowd of dancers, "This is why you shouldn't be wearing clothes like that. You'll attract attention."

"Who are you to talk?" Noel snorted, pushing through people with his bright red jacket, "With that Queen of Hearts costume you've got on."

"At least the A-Team expect someone to be wearing it," She grumbled again through the mask, "They know one of their own with this. You're just noticeable."

"Hey," Noel shrugged, "I'll just pretend I'm looking for Jenna. I'm her boyfriend. That's not gonna look suspicious."

Shana rolled her eyes next to the others. She was dressed in regular clothes, trying to keep her face hidden behind the black hood. A teenager in a black hoodie was hardly surprising-especially on Halloween. But Shana wore it for a particular reason. Should anyone from the A-Team see Shana in her getup, they would assume that it was just someone on their side. It might bring the wrong idea from one of the girls and their friends and respective others, but it would probably be worth it to protect the said girls.

"Let's just find Aria and get her away from wherever these scumbags put her." Shana grumbled, covering her face with the black mask, making her appear as one of the _–A_ phantoms that had caused the girls and Alison so much grief. The trio navigated their way through the thrashing, bouncing, loud crowd and exited out the car into the next train car and then the next. Shana stopped short, her head turned.

Noel noticed she had stopped. "Hey," He said, narrowing his eyes and making Cece turn, "What is it?" Shana pointed to the rolled down screen over the window of the compartment of this train car. Two figures stood behind it, entwined in an embrace, lips locked. "I think one of them is one of the girls." Shana elaborated. Noel chanced himself close to the door, pushing the screen back a little. Shana was right as usual. There stood Emily Fields, locking lips with Paige McCullers.

"Yep." Noel mumbled, stepping back, "Fields. Emily. She's with McCullers. Let's leave them alone, huh?" He smirked at Shana and Cece, but Cece felt a grimace wrinkle over her face. Pigskin. She knew that Alison didn't like Cece to call the redhead in the compartment with Emily that anymore. Alison….she had changed so much in the past two years. She refused to call anyone that she had used to bully by their "nicknames" that she had given them. And she hated it when Cece called the younger blonde's victims that too.

Still, it felt like Emily was betraying Alison by being with McCullers. She knew how much Alison loved the dark-haired swimmer. She knew how much Alison's heart ached for the girls, especially Emily. Though there were times she wasn't sure. The way Ali talked about Emily sometimes-with adoration and protectiveness, didn't add up with the way Alison talked about….. _her_.

But Cece decided to push it back into her mind. It was probably best that Emily was preoccupied right now. At least she wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. Right now, they had to go get Aria.

"Come on!" She snapped at the others, "She's not the one we have to worry about. Aria's in trouble." Noel and Shana turned and nodded, following the masked blonde out.

As Cece and the other two filed out into the next car, Cece noticing through the holes of her mask the storage car where she had heard Lucas mumbling in the party car to Melissa that that was where Wilden had taken Aria. She smiled. Aria was in there. Boy, Cece was glad that Shana worked at that costume shop. It was because of that very convenient fact that they all knew that Darren Wilden was wearing the Queen of Hearts costume. Not to mention the costumes Jenna and Melissa had on. It was only because of Shana's job that they knew that. Cece gathered that that was why Shana had taken the job in the first place.

It was because of that too that Cece had gotten her hands on this Queen of Hearts getup.

They neared the next train car-the storage train car and opened it. There. There was a large wooden crate…just leaning out of the car, middle balancing on the side, the frigid air encasing it, door completely open, the crate just barely holding onto the ledge.

"Shit." Noel hissed, lunging for the crate, eyes wide. Cece followed, shocked. She knew what the A-Team had been doing. She heard Jenna and Melissa. But she had no idea that they were actually going to go through with it. Within seconds, Noel had grabbed the left edge of the box, Cece grabbed the right and Shana grabbed the very back of it, pulling it.

They dragged the box back, all three of them nearly freezing when they heard a terrified voice from within it, "Hello? Who's there?! Please…..let me out! Please! Who's out there?! Help!" Noel looked worried as he moved the crate.

"Careful!" Cece hissed when the crate bumped along the side, eliciting another cry from Aria. As the crate was pulled onto a good stable side, Shana turned and looked around. "What are you looking for?" Cece demanded. "What do you think?" Shana mumbled, "We need to find something to get the crate open." Both Cece and Shana turned till Cece spotted a crowbar propped up against the wall-likely the same thing the A-Team had used to pry the crate open to throw Aria and Garrett's body into in the first place.

Cece dove for it, grabbing it and bringing it to the crate. Just when she had its hook underneath the top of the crate, the sound of the train's car door opening caught their attentions. They whirled to find Lucas coming in. Shana turned to Noel and hissed, "Hide! You're the only one not covered. He won't know who we are. But you have to hide. Go!" Noel looked like he wanted to argue, but when Shana pushed him, he stepped back into the shadows of the car as Lucas stepped inside, head lifted up.

His eyes went wide when he saw Shana and Cece.

"Hey," He said, stunned, "Guys, I thought you were already leaving her?" He turned to Cece, having no idea who was under that Queen of Hearts mask, "Darren, I thought you were going after Hastings?" He looked at Shana, "And who's that? Toby? I thought you were in the other car."

Just like that, all plans were frozen. Not just Lucas's presence, but what he said. Spencer was being targeted. Okay, that was really bad, but all three Cece, Shana and Noel had the same thought when they heard that.

Toby? Toby Cavanaugh? Wait….Toby was part of the A-Team?

Cece turned to look at Shana, despite all appearances. They were both masked, but they were both certain they had the same astounded looks on their faces.

Shana waved her hand and leaned in, pushing the crate towards the open door. Both Cece and the hidden Noel stiffened but knew that unless they wanted to make Lucas suspicious, they had to keep the act up.

"Right." Lucas said, though his dark eyebrows were furrowed in confusion, "I'll help." He walked forward, making all three allies of the young blonde that Lucas hated so much freeze again. Shit, this hadn't been what they were hoping Lucas would do. They had hoped he'd leave. Fuck.

Lucas came over to the side and started to shift the box. Shana took only a second to process this before lunging, fist coming into contact with his jaw. Lucas yelped as he fell onto the top of the crate, the wind taken out of him. Noel, seeing the opportunity with Lucas's head swung to the side, lunged at the smaller boy, sending a vicious kick to the boy's side, making him cry out and shift onto the crate. As he started shaking himself, Noel ducked back into the shadows. Lucas was now on top of the crate, making it shake.

"What the-?" Lucas started before his eyes went huge and a pained scream ripped from his throat and he jumped right off the crate, gripping his right leg, limping away from Shana, face contorted in agony. Cece turned and looked at the crate, confused. The point of a sharp pike of some kind withdrew itself from the crate. She felt a smirk cover her face. It couldn't have been thrust into Lucas by coincidence. She hadn't seen it before.

It looked like at least one of Alison's friends had a spine. Without even bothering with an explanation, Cece turned on Lucas, swinging the crowbar at Lucas, smacking it into his back, bringing a scream from him. He stumbled forward, looking painfully between the two masked figures in the room and clearly terrified, turned and ran from the car. Shana turned back to Cece. "Really?" She asked the masked blonde. Cece shrugged before hooking the crowbar into the edge of the crate's top. Noel stepped forward, grinning when he saw that Lucas had beat it.

He took a glance at the crate, sure that Aria was listening now after Lucas had been stabbed. _"That was awesome!"_ He mouthed to Cece and Shana, grinning wide. Cece looked at him before rolling her eyes. She threw all of her strength into unhinging the top, the crate's cover pulling up, jagged nails revealing themselves. A whimper elicited from Aria, but Cece kept prying.

Shana turned to Noel and whispered, "Noel, go. You don't have a mask. Go check on Spencer. Toby's her date. I don't think we should trust anything that fuck says but just check on Toby." Noel nodded and ran past Shana, out the door of the car.

Cece, after much maneuvering, ripped the top of the crate right off. Aria, acting just about the way one would expect one would react after being locked into a crate with a dead body, bolted right out as Shana pulled the hatch off. As soon as the small brunette was out, she turned to face them. The moment she saw Shana with her _–A_ outfit, fear warped her expression and she gripped what she had stabbed Lucas with-a rusty screwdriver close.

Both Cece and Shana slowly shuffled out of the way, making sure they weren't blocking the train door. Shana gestured for the door, letting Aria know that she could leave. Aria's face was filled with confusion. Suddenly, running footsteps could be heard in the car where Lucas had fled and Noel had gone. Cece and Shana looked at each other. Realizing simultaneously that they needed to go before their identities were found out, turned and not wanting Aria to assume the worst, ran around the crate, risking falling out of the side and bolted to the door, leading to the next car.

Aria gasped, backing away, still holding the screwdriver close, tight with fear as she watched them. Both Cece and Shana opened the door and bolted out. They looked back through the glass window as Spencer, Emily and Hanna barged into the car, going to Aria and comforting her immediately. Shana and Cece ran fast. Making sure they were at least three cars away. They couldn't let the girls find out who they were.

They finally reached a safe distance and pulled their costumes off, revealing their regular clothes beneath. Cece and Shana kept them close. Even if the train was going to come to a stop, they couldn't let anyone get their costumes. It had their DNA all over it. They'd have to wash them out first. Cece turned to Shana as the train slowed down, obviously because of alerting the authorities and the dark-skinned girl smiled back at the blonde.

A success, for now. At least the girls were more or less safe.

An hour almost passed after the train had altogether stopped and Shana and Cece hid out in the woods right next to the train, sticking their heads out and gripping their costumes to them. They could hear loud voices but they saw nothing.

Finally, Noel stumbled off a car of the train, looking worried. He looked around before Cece waved at him and he ran over. "So?" Shana asked, eyeing the black-haired young man, "Is it true? About Cavanaugh?"

Noel shrugged, eyes furrowed, "I don't know. I just can't tell. At least we know for sure with the others. I just can't figure Cavanaugh out. He freaked out when I joked with the girls and pushed me into the ice tray with the drinks." His face wrinkled in disgust. "What, Kahn?" Cece asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"The body." He emphasized, "The one that was in Ali's grave? The one that was taken? It was hidden under the panel with the ice and drinks." Cece and Shana took a moment to absorb that.

"Wait, what?!" Cece demanded, face contorting in repulsion, "Okay, ew! Good thing I didn't touch any of those drinks. Ew. This A-Team has issues."

"Yeah," Noel snorted, "And here's the thing though." He lifted his head to look at his two companions, "Everyone looked shocked. Everyone." Both Cece and Shana appeared confused. "What do you mean?" Shana asked, trying to get her friend to clarify.

Noel inhaled, frustration written all across his face, "I mean everyone was shocked. No one was expecting it. And I looked at everyone. Toby. Jason. Jenna. Lucas. McCullers. None of them were expecting it. They were really shocked. Maybe Jenna's a really good actress, but Toby, Jason and Lucas aren't that good of actors. They didn't see it coming." Cece furrowed her eyebrows. "Maybe Mona, Wilden or Melissa put the body there?" She offered, thinking of the other three –A Team members on the train-if it was just six people-who the hell knew by this point?

Cece added, smirking playfully, "Of course, you wouldn't pay attention to Jenna possibly putting the body there, right? Since you're so sweet on her." Noel scowled and Cece felt her cat like grin widen. Noel's feelings for Jenna were such a sore spot for him. "Shut it, Cece." He grumbled, "Can we stay on track here? We're trying to figure out who put the body there."

"Maybe." Shana mumbled, face drawn in thought, "Maybe Mona put it there. Or Wilden, or Melissa. But there's something really weird about this. Who do you think is calling the shots? I feel like Mona was taking orders from someone from the beginning."

"That's true," Cece pondered, looking back at the train, "There's definitely something going on that the rest of the A-Team aren't thinking about. I feel like there's someone calling the shots-even over Mona. We better get to Ali and tell her about Toby. And about the body. Whoever the heck it used to be."

Noel shrugged and nodded, "Right." As the three of them turned, he added, "I saw Spencer. She looks alright. But I saw her when I ran after them. The other one, dressed as the Queen of Hearts-the cop, Wilden, he attacked Spencer." Shana and Cece both turned sharply, concerned. Noel waved his hand, reassuringly, "It's alright. She's safe." He looked at Cece in point, "McCullers rescued her."

Cece stiffened. "Pigskin did that?" She asked, startled, genuinely. She felt Shana's glare on her as well as Noel staring hard at her. "You know Ali doesn't like it when you call Paige that." Shana warned, still walking.

The blonde turned her head towards the forest, irritated. It was true.

"Whatever." Cece shrugged, moving, thinking about how much her little sister had changed, "All I know is we need to see Ali quickly. Tell her about everything."

"Honestly?" Shana said as they moved through the forest, "I think Ali is just going to be happy that the girls are safe. She won't care who saved them, just that they've been protected. So let's get over it."

Cece nodded, not wanting to admit that Shana was right. About Pig-about McCullers anyway.

 **So this should in theory go in chronological order, with some out of order episodes where Alison, Cece, Shana and Noel do something.**

 **And Cece suspects but doesn't quite know that Spencer's the one that Alison's in love with yet.**

 **Any questions about Garrett's death and the knife that Cece has will be answered later.**

 **And as for who the Super –A in this fic is…...I'm not going to tell you that.**


	5. New Allies and New Enemies

**Plot diversion from the TV show. A certain character from the TV show is not dead in this version.**

 **Be warned-For those that love Marlene King, I'm going to say some very not nice things about her in the author's note at the end.**

 **Chapter 5: New Allies and New Enemies:**

"What?!" Came the stunned reply from the beautiful blonde, staring up at her three older siblings. "Wait, what?" She demanded again, blue eyes blinking rapidly, "Tell me you're joking."

Noel shook his head, "This is not something I'm gonna joke about. I'm an asshole, but not about this. I know what I heard. Lucas said Toby's name. It might have been one thing if he said 'Cavanaugh.' Then it might have been Jenna. Besides, she's not blind anymore. It could have been her. But he _said_ 'Toby.' Toby's part of the A-Team, Ali."

The young blonde backed away a bit, blue eyes glazed over in shock. She slowly sat down on the sofa chair up against the wall. All three Shana, Noel and Cece watched with concern. She shook her head. "That can't be." Alison said, palm of her left hand coming to her face as if trying to comprehend every last word that had been conveyed to her. On that Halloween train, both Aria and Spencer had nearly been killed. Mona may have escaped Radley and been on that train, Garrett was dead, Melissa was part of the A-Team as suspected before, and Toby was part of the A-Team, as _not_ expected.

"We heard what we heard," Shana stated, stepping forward, dark eyes looking at her little sister in understanding, "We all heard it."

Alison tried to think for a moment. "This is bad." She said quietly, almost laughing at how obvious _that_ was, "I mean really bad. Spencer's older sister is already an –A, now her boyfriend is _too_? I thought at least Toby was…..," Alison's eyes clamped shut, her lower jaw clenched in pain and her shoulders stiff.

Cece watched, trying to discern what was happening in her little sister's head, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. She knew that Alison was disappointed in Toby. Alison truly believed that Toby was a good person. A part of Cece hated that boy for disappointing Ali. But she focused on Ali's reaction. Alison shuddered before opening her eyes again and getting up, glaring at the wall. "I can't believe this," She growled, "I really thought Toby might be a decent person. And how can he do this to Spencer?!" Her companions observed as her entire body tensed, intense sapphire flames flicking in her eyes. "He won't get away with this," She hissed, "Not if what you're saying is true. He won't. If he hurts Spencer…"

Alison's voice trailed off, teeth clenching, eyes filled with pain and fury. Cece flinched. It took everything she had not to lunge forward and take Alison into her arms and try to comfort and assure her in any way. She could feel Noel and Shana tensing in the same manner, trying to keep their overprotective older sibling feelings in check. She, and she knew both of them knew too that Alison wouldn't appreciate being babied. Not right now. She needed to cope. She was considering everything.

She shook her head, eyes narrowed and turned back to her three companions. "Noel, I need you to find out all you can about why Toby joined the A-Team. And while you're at it, check out all three Caleb, Paige and Ezra's backgrounds. Who knows how many of their girlfriends or boyfriends are involved."

Noel nodded, siding up near the door. He smiled, trying to lighten the mood, "At least we know one of them is part of the A-Team. And at least we can kick his ass if we need to. Toby isn't so tough." The slight laugh that left his throat wasn't so convincing as he looked at Alison. None of them could make light of this. Not as much as they'd like, anyway.

Alison just nodded appreciatively, smiling. "Thanks, Noel." She said quietly, "Please do that. Shana, can you go back to watching them? Make sure that they're safe, for now." Shana nodded, headed towards the door next to Noel before turning back around, walking to Alison and taking the blonde into her arms, hugging the small girl close. "It'll be alright, baby girl." Shana promised Alison, kissing her friend since childhood's forehead, "It'll be okay."

Alison pressed the side of her face against Shana's chest, mumbling a quiet, strained, "Thank you" as the older girl let her go. Cece watched, smiling slightly. There had been a time once when she _had_ felt jealous about Alison's bond with both Noel and Shana, but spending time with the other two had helped her learn that getting over her insecurities, at least about Noel and Shana would sustain her close-knit bond with Ali. She even came to like both of the other two. They were good people and very good to Alison, so that was all that mattered to her.

They, Alison, Duncan, Margo, Patrick and Zoomy had formed a small strange family. A family formed by choice and experience together, not blood.

Alison and Shana parted and the former Queen Bee nodded to Noel, "It's alright, Shana. I can manage. Just go with Noel for now." Shana nodded, still appearing concerned as she turned. "Oh, and Shana?" Ali added when Shana was next to Noel, making the dark-skinned young woman turn to her sister, "Thanks." Shana offered a smile. "Any time, baby girl." She said without hesitation and walked out the door with Noel, the green eyed young man sending a reassuring smile to Alison and Cece as the two of them exited.

Alison sighed, turning to the older blonde. Cece tried to smile, "So what now?"

Alison's eyes traveled to the photographs piled on the desk of all the girls with their respective love interests, including many of Spencer and Toby together. Cece watched Ali as she had come to do for a while whenever the younger blonde looked at the other girls or pictures of them. Trying to gauge the other's feelings was never difficult for Cece to do before.

Before, Cece had more or less been able to detect what other feelings Alison was experiencing. Now, it was getting difficult. Ali had changed, a lot. It didn't take a person with more than a few brain cells to realize that Alison loved those four girls and would do anything to protect them. Her emotions were getting harder to read.

Alison wandered over to the table, picking up a photograph sent to her by whoever the hell –A was with her left hand. It was a photograph of Toby and Spencer standing together on the train. Toby wearing his 50s outfit with the fedora, and Spencer standing next to him with a dark blue dress clinging to her body.

"You know," Cece started, thinking about that little punk with the camera, "Lucas takes pictures a lot, doesn't he?" Alison didn't even turn to Cece as she nodded, "Yeah, but he couldn't even come close to what this –A is doing. He's just a pawn. Maybe he's a really willing pawn because he hates me, but he's still just a minion. He might have taken these photos, but he wasn't the one that sent them."

She stared at the photo, fear and anger swimming in her eyes and it was getting hard for Cece not to hug Alison close too. "God," Alison hissed, "If Toby does anything to hurt her…ever….what Jenna did to him will be nothing next to what I do to him." Her voice was strained, eyes still pained and her right hand reached out, fingertips caressing over Spencer's face.

Cece watched still, mesmerized. The way Alison was looking at the photograph, at Spencer…with such adoration and emotion…

She had never seen Alison look at the pictures of Emily like that before.

The older blonde's mouth dropped slightly. Had she been wrong? Was Emily not the person that Ali was in love with? She had been certain that her kid sister was in love with one of the girls, from the way the blonde spoke about them, referring to 'three of them' without name and just saying, 'make sure _she's_ safe.' Cece had assumed that the _she_ in question was Emily. Knowing that Emily was in love with Alison gave Cece little room to believe otherwise.

But had she had it wrong? Was _Spencer_ the one whose Alison's heart belonged to?

Cece watched, cocking her head, mouth parting slightly as she mulled this over. She had never really thought about it before. But it seemed quite likely. Cece was no stranger to love or being in love. Perhaps she should have realized it sooner.

Was….Alison in love with Spencer? And what about Spencer?

Cece kept watching the younger blonde, transfixed. She'd like to brag that unlike everyone else, she knew Alison. Really _knew_ her. Knew what it would take to make Alison happy. Knew what Alison needed and wanted. This new possible revelation jarred her, to be honest. She dared a couple of steps forward. "Ali?" She asked gently, "Is there something wrong?"

Alison turned back around to face Cece. The older woman's mouth parted, startled when she saw the vulnerability on Alison's face. It was a helpless look. One that she had seen on the younger blonde's face only a few times before. Very few people, including Cece herself had the privilege of ever seeing that level of helplessness on Alison's face. It was the younger blonde's most unguarded expression. Cece once again warred with the need to take her little sister into her arms. As much as she wanted to, she knew that Alison would try to shake it off and say that she was fine and try to deal with her chaotic emotions on her own.

Cece breathed out at that. No matter how much Alison had changed, she still tried to deal with everything on her own. Only now she convinced herself that she was doing it out of honor, not pride. She thought it was noble.

"Ali," Cece implored before she could think otherwise, "Please talk to me." Her voice was more choked than she had thought it would be, a painful clench around her heart squeezed.

 _Please, Ali, please._ She silently pleaded, hoping Alison would catch on. Finally, Alison breathed out, glancing back at the pictures. "I just….," Alison mumbled, "I just can't lose Spencer. I can't lose any of them. But if anything happens to Spencer…I just…..I can't, Cece….."

Cece shivered at the broken tone in Alison's voice. God, how had she not realized….?

"Holy crap," Cece chuckled dryly, before she could stop herself, making Alison turn to her, "I was wrong, wasn't I? It's always been about Spencer, hasn't it? Emily isn't your Penelope, Spencer is."

Alison stiffened and her jaw clenched. There was a lost look in those cerulean eyes and Cece _knew_ she was right this time. "Cece, don't-" She started, voice small, but the older blonde smiled and cut her sister off, "Don't. Ali, it's alright. I don't care who you're in love with. If they're important to you, then I'll protect them with my life. Emily, Spencer, it doesn't matter. I'll protect them, promise."

Shocked for a few moments, a swell of emotion overtook Alison's expression and she lunged, jumping at Cece, arms wrapping around the slender waist of her older chosen sister, face pressing against the older woman's chest. Cece laid a gentle hand over Alison's head, kissing the blonde's scalp. "I love you, Ali," Cece said soothingly, "Did you really think it mattered? I'd do anything for you, you know that."

She felt those arms tighten in response and felt a nod against her chest. "Thanks, Cece." Came the small answer of utter gratitude. "Oh, shush." Cece chuckled, pressing her left cheek against the top of Alison's head snugly, "Like I wouldn't protect my kid sister's closest friends and the girl that she loves. It'll be okay, promise."

She felt movement her arms and she opened them, letting Alison move from her body. They parted and Alison's uncertain eyes made Cece narrow her gaze. "Ali?" She asked, feeling the tension start to rise again.

Alison shook her head as she said quietly, "I don't know. I'm glad you know now, Cece, really." Cece smiled reassuringly as Alison glanced to her, "It's just that…everything's so messed up. Toby's part of the A-Team. He's Spencer's boyfriend and he's part of the A-Team." Cece watched as the younger girl shivered. She couldn't blame her sister. The girl that Alison loved the most and she was dating the enemy without any idea. She wondered just how painful it had been for Alison to even know that Spencer had been dating, let alone to find out that Spencer was with someone now who was part of the A-Team.

"And," Alison inhaled deeply, "I'm having those dreams again." Cece froze, eyes going wide. The dreams? Alison had been having them again? She swallowed. "The dreams?" She echoed, concern now gripping her harder than ever. Alison leaned back against the wall, looking at the photos, a dark smirk that Cece recognized all too well crossing her young, heart-shaped face. That youthful face that bore bright blue eyes that had seen just too much of the world and too much of its evils was marred by cynicism and fear.

"The dreams are coming again." Alison said in a dark, quiet whisper. So quiet she was that Cece was surprised she heard the younger girl. "And it was like the one in the greenhouse. With Emily. This time it was at Spencer's grandma's house. I was looking in at them from outside. Watching them drink, when Emily got drugged. And then at the graveyard."

Cece narrowed her eyes. Her heart pounded. "That…that can't be," She said, staring at the young girl. You were wearing the redcoat. You were trying to make sure no one had hurt Emily! You couldn't have been on top of that coffin because you were wearing the coat behind the grave. I saw you!"

Cece was surprised by the disbelief and belligerence in her own voice. She had never spoken to Ali this way before. But what she was hearing had to be bullshit. Alison _had_ been there, at the graveyard when Emily was drugged, a month ago, but it had been as "Redcoat." There _had_ been someone in the dug out grave of whoever was buried in Alison's place, but it had been _–A._ Or a minion. Cece knew that Alison hadn't done anything.

She had been dressing as Redcoat too and was there. They both had gone to the graveyard as soon as they had checked on the girls Spencer's grandmother's house and seen that Emily was gone. They had gotten a call from Shana that she had spotted Emily in the graveyard with a shovel and someone was taking pictures of the swimmer. And Noel had called and told them that he and Jenna had found Emily on the road. They had rushed to the cemetery immediately.

"I _know_ that, Cece," Alison said dryly, still staring at the pictures, "Don't you think I know that? But I saw it anyway. I had a dream about it. Only this time, it was _me_ on top of that coffin, pulling it open and stealing the body. Me. And in another dream, it was me that put the body underneath that panel where the ice and drinks were on the train. I saw the black gloves and the black sleeves. Nothing else."

Cece shivered. It was eerily similar to another dream that Alison had had. That one had been in a greenhouse. Emily had confronted this _–A,_ whoever it was-Mona, Lucas, Melissa, or maybe even Toby and Emily had opened that box Alison had had with all her possessions trying to get to _–A,_ only to reveal to the masked figure that the box was empty and Emily and the others had tricked the hooded one. This had ended incredibly badly, according to Alison. The dream had almost ended with Emily being stabbed by a furious _-A._ That was, till Spencer and Aria came barging into the greenhouse. The hooded figure had narrowly escaped the girls but had been hit by a car, driven by Hanna.

After Alison had had that dream, the blonde had been gripping he side of her abdomen, grumbling in pain. Then they and Shana found out from Noel that it had actually happened. Apparently it had been a trick manifested by the girls to lure _–A_ out. Emily and Spencer started a fight to make _–A_ think that they could have their loyalties shifted.

Noel had seen and heard the fight. And he had listened in when the girls discussed their plan.

None of them had any explanation for the dream. Or the pain that Alison had felt at first when she had woken up. But they all, including Alison, had left it alone. After all, there were kind of more chaotic things going on that they had needed to focus on.

But now…?

"Ali," Cece stepped closer, a serious look crossing her face, "If you keep having these dreams, do you have any explanation at all?" Alison pressed her lips together hard and Cece almost expected a snide remark, but when none came, the worry festered. Alison was scared.

Alison shook herself out of her disturbed trance. "I'm going to talk with Duncan and Margo and see if Patrick and Zoomy are okay." She said firmly and Cece nodded, unsurprised. Then she tensed when Alison's face turned grim.

"I need to tell you something," Alison said, snapping her now dire looking face back to her older sister, trying to tame her expression back into a neutral one, "Noel, he said that that girl that Emily dated after my disappearance, Maya? She's staying at his place for safety. Apparently a stalker was after her at that stupid camp she was sent to and Noel's been protecting her."

Cece now had her interest peaked, despite the disturbing dreams already having her interest. Maya St. Germaine. The first official girlfriend Emily Fields had. The girl that helped Emily move on after Alison's disappearance and presumed death.

Emily had gotten drugged because she had wanted to drink away her depression over not seeing Maya anymore because her dear mommy reported Maya's "drug problems" to Maya's parents.

Now Maya was under the protection of Noel Kahn and it looked like there was an additional stalker running around as well as _–A_ and his or her minions.

"Well that's comforting." She grumbled, "Another stalker to worry about?"

Alison nodded. "Yeah," She said in disgust, "People like that are so pathetic. People that try to force attention from other people." At the acidity in Alison's voice, a worried Cece said carefully, "Is there something personal in what you're saying, Ali?"

Alison shook her head and the older blonde could practically feel the guilt come off the younger, "Never mind." Ali said, "Right now we have to keep the girls safe. From both this new stalker and from _–A._ And we have a new girl to protect."

Cece nodded, siding up next to Alison, looking at another photo. This one of a young African-American girl with ringlets of ebony hair who was kissing Emily passionately. Maya St. Germaine.

"You think she could be an ally?" Cece asked, glancing at the younger blonde. Alison shrugged, "We need as many allies as we can get. And she has a very good reason to want to help us." Alison picked up a small picture _-A_ had taken of Emily and Maya talking in Emily's bedroom, sitting down by Emily's window. Alison added, "We certainly have to protect her from that stalker." Cece smirked, "Do we? Ali, I think you're taking this redeemed hero stuff a bit too far." Alison eyed Cece, but smirked. "His name, from what I hear," Alison said carefully, "Is Lyndon James. He might take on another name. But I hear he's in Rosewood now. I don't know what he looks like."

"Real helpful." Cece drawled, stepping back, "Alright. I'll try to make sure this Lyndon guy doesn't mess with anyone. But Ali," She stared hard at Alison as the younger blonde turned, "Stop trying to deal with everything alone. It's actually useful the more other people know, okay?"

Alison nodded, a small smile on her face and Cece knew that this wasn't over.

At least one thing Cece could recognize from seeing Alison's face right now. She knew she wasn't going to get any more answers tonight. She sighed and nodded. She'd go to Rosewood now and try to protect the girls. But her main concern was Alison. They really needed to figure shit out now, because this was getting out of hand.

 **Okay, yes, so Maya is alive, people. She was never murdered. She's still alive in the books, you know? And a serial killing African-American guy never exists in the books. Then again, it doesn't shock me that Marlene King kills any LGBTQ characters of color besides Emily-since she's the "token" character. Doesn't surprise me either that she goes the "black men are violent" stereotype route either. I swear, doesn't anyone actually look at the B.S. she's writing? Oh boy. Never mind how the plot of the whole series becomes completely nonsensical after season 4.**

 **And on a side note, I'll explain who Margo, Patrick and Zoomy are. They're OCs of mine. They'll show up later.**


	6. Closer than you think

**Warnings in this chapter for mentions of child abuse, suicide, and insanity and drug use later on in the chapter.**

 **Chapter 6: Closer than you think:**

Alison closed in on the small wooded area where a secluded white house stood. It was one of her and her most trusted companions besides the girls nearly unknown hiding spots. She walked towards the house, taking note of the black hiking boots on the doorstep, signifying that Duncan was inside. She came over and knocked on the door, waiting.

The door opened, revealing the gentle, smiling face of her other chosen big brother, Duncan. "Hey, Ali," The blonde said, opening the door fully to reveal himself, the inside of the house...and the shotgun that was under his right arm. Alison felt a grin tug at her mouth.

"Not paranoid at all, right Dunc?" She teased, looking into usually calm dark blue eyes. Duncan shrugged and smiled sheepishly. Alison smiled slightly as Duncan unloaded the gun. She couldn't blame him. Given who they were dealing with, a little paranoia was good for anyone. As Duncan put the gun and bullets away, there was an overjoyed, loud bark from the kitchen, further in the house and Zoomy came bounding out fast, large brown paws slamming against the white tiled floor as he jumped at Alison, long tail wagging.

"Hi, Zoomy!" Alison exclaimed, crouching down and opening her arms for the big excited bloodhound to jump onto her. The exuberant canine jumped onto her with a powerful force, almost knocking the blonde off her feet. He jumped onto his back legs and slapped his front paws onto Alison's shoulders, slobbery pink tongue sliding out and relentlessly licking Alison's hand, blocking her grinning face as his stick-tail slapped the door.

The blonde stood up, facing Duncan after petting Zoomy lovingly.

"Duncan," She began, "I need to speak with you. Is Patrick in the living room?"

The airplane flyer turned back to the room, nodding, Alison walked in, the happy Zoomy following her. Both blondes came into the room, facing the young boy sitting at the table, scooping up the chocolate ice cream left in his blue plastic bowl. Alison smiled at the sight of the young, previously abused boy eating so well. "Hi, Pat," Alison said gently, making the child turn his head, a huge grin spreading over his face.

"Ali!" He cried, dropping the spoon and jumping up from his seat and scampering over to the teenagers. Alison opened her arms up again, enveloping Patrick in them. The small, dark-skinned boy pressed black-haired head against her neck as she leaned over. "Ali," He mumbled happily, "I missed you." Alison smiled, leaning in and kissing the boy's forehead. "I missed you too, Pat." She said gently, "How is everything? Are Duncan and Margo's lessons good?" Patrick pulled away, nodding and grinning. Alison smiled widely. "That's great." She cooed.

Patrick had been found by Noel in Philly when he was scouting the area for _–A._ Patrick's mother had committed suicide. His father had been abusive. Noel had taken Patrick away from his messed up home and brought him to Alison, Cece, Shana, Margo and Duncan.

Duncan and Margo acted as Patrick's primary teachers of math and reading, given the age when Noel had rescued him, and it didn't seem like the kid's parents had bothered teaching him much.

Patrick ran over to the table, picking up the notebook from where it was next to the bowl of ice cream, bringing it over to Alison and showing her the pages. "Duncan showed me how to spell 'adequate.'" He said happily, pointing to the word written in bright green ink. Alison tried not to laugh, turning her head to Duncan, smirking. "Adequate?" She remarked, hand on her hip, as she turned back to Patrick, smile turning appraising, "I didn't know you wanted him to learn high school text words." "Hey," Duncan chuckled, walking up and petting Zoomy on his warm, sleek, brown head, earning happy pants and yips, "Might as well give him as many words to work with. It's not like we can send him to a regular school."

Alison exhaled, chuckling. Well, he was right at least about that. Duncan reminded her a lot of Spencer and Aria sometimes. Sometimes he was just so anal and stiff about learning and reading. Other times he just went with the flow. It was probably why he was so good at flying those planes of his. Alison knew that she didn't have even half of that free spirit that Duncan possessed that helped. She had piloted that plane, with his help because she wanted to run away. To get away from her life.

Not to cope with it. She imagined Duncan would have coped better. Or at least wouldn't have lashed out at everyone.

"Dunc," She said calmly to her second chosen brother, looking into those soothing blue eyes, when she saw Patrick sit back down, making sure he didn't hear as she lowered her voice, "I'm going to head back to Rosewood. I need to find out what I can about the newest –A member." Duncan perked his head up, narrowing his eyes. He glanced to the left, checking that Patrick didn't turn his attention back to them before looking at Ali again. "Toby Cavanaugh." Alison said simply, still not quite believing it, "That's who the new –A team member is. His name was said by Lucas Gottesman on the train." Duncan stared at Alison, disbelief in his eyes.

"Toby as well?" He asked, shaking his head, "Isn't he Hastings's boyfriend?" Alison nodded, pushing away her roiling jealousy and protectiveness. At the time, she had resigned herself to the fact that she had no right to be jealous of Toby, considering she was the one that had mistreated Spencer so much like the other girls in the years that she had known the brunette, and decided that as long as Toby took care of her, she should be happy for them.

Knowing that Toby was part of the –A-Team now, made her blood boil and any thoughts she had of not hurting the young man had been tossed right out the window.

"Yeah." She replied neutrally, "That's him. Just be on the look out in case you hear anything from the others. Put Toby on the list of –A-Team members."

Duncan frowned, "It's getting harder to tell who _isn't_ part of the –A-team," He said dryly, "Lucas Gottesman. Mona Vanderwaal. Melissa Hastings. Darren Wilden. Jenna Cavanaugh. And now Toby too." Alison nodded, feeling her chest tighten, despite Zoomy's insistent whimpers for more attention, which usually made her smile, "And there might be more people on the –A-Team we don't know about. I wouldn't be surprised. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a whole army of them."

She snapped her head back to Duncan and met his eyes determinedly, "If they have an army, we'll meet them with our own."

Duncan's smile turned into a slight grin. "There's my little sister," Duncan chuckled, "Tooth for claw. Blow for blow. –A doesn't know who they're messing with." Alison smiled, appreciating her brother's praise. He knew exactly how dark she was and still loved and protected her for it. He, Noel, Shana, Cece, Margo….they were her family, her big brothers and sisters as Emily, Hanna, Aria and Spencer were her family as well.

"Thanks." She smirked, "I'm going to call Ms. Grunwald. See if she can watch Patrick for a bit so you can head to your job." Duncan smiled in appreciation. She knew the guy would drop anything no matter what to make sure she and Patrick were safe, but Duncan had a job and a life of his own to deal with. She at least knew what Ms. Grunwald's schedule was and knew she was free starting tonight. Duncan reached into his pocket and pulled out one of the many throwaway phones he, Noel and Cece had bought with cash.

They knew they probably looked incredibly suspicious doing it but there was no other way to make sure that it wasn't traced back to them and that –A wouldn't see a link between the throwaway phones.

Duncan handed Alison the phone and she typed in Ms. Grunwald's number.

 **An hour later:**

Ms. Grunwald and her grandson, Jack Grunwald came towards the house, the excited black haired young boy waving happily to Alison and Patrick as they arrived. "Alison," Grunwald said gently, embracing the blonde girl in her arms. Alison smiled as she parted from the woman. Ms. Grunwald was the closest Alison knew to knowing real genuine motherly affection besides Cece, Shana and Shana's mother. Alison relished whatever motherly affection she could get, even though she knew she shouldn't.

"I'm so glad you could make it," She said, looking up into calm, knowing pale blue eyes, "I see Jack has grown a lot. I swear, he gets taller every time I see him." Grunwald smiled, watching as Jack started talking with Patrick. Alison spoke up again, "I need to check on a few things in Rosewood. And Duncan needs to head to his job, so I hope you don't mind-"

"Not at all." Ms. Grunwald smiled, looking at the boys who were now being attacked playfully with slobbers by Zoomy, "Do what you need to. I'm more than happy to look after Patrick in the meantime. Alison, please be safe." She said, looking meaningfully at the young girl. Alison smiled, nodding. She couldn't begin to formulate just how grateful she was for Ms. Grunwald, her grandson, Patrick, Duncan, Noel, Shana, Margo and Cece. Even for Zoomy. They had been her rock while she had been surviving out here for nearly three years.

"Thank you." She said firmly to the woman that saved her life that night when someone nearly killed her. As she hugged Duncan goodbye and was about to do the same with Patrick and Jack, Jack suddenly stiffened, eyes clouding over.

"Uh…uh…" The boy stuttered, backing away. Patrick reached out and held his friend, keeping the other boy from falling over. Jack slowly turned his head to Alison, mumbling, "The one you seek, the mastermind, the one hurting everyone is much closer than you think." The eerie words made Alison, the boy's grandmother and Duncan stiffen. The almost entranced boy continued, "Your beloved…your 'Penelope,'" Alison raised her head, blood running cold at the name, realizing Jack was mentioning Spencer in his vision, "She will end up in Radley. I don't know how. She's going to be there. From the same place the mastermind was once."

All too soon, it was over. The cloud over Jack's eyes passed, he stumbled again in Patrick's hands and shook his head, looking around. His eyebrows furrowed. "What happened?" He asked, confused.

Duncan looked at Alison, now concerned. Alison sucked in a breath. Jack had had visions before, inheriting them from his grandmother. The woman saw spirits, and sometimes the future. But Jack was nearly a seer. Some of the things however, didn't always make sense. She narrowed her eyes. What did Jack mean that the person was closer than she thought? Her mind traveled to what else he said. Spencer. In Radley.

Alison's heart pounded at the thought, feeling a shiver run down her spine. That couldn't be. How? How would Spencer end up there? No. There had to be a mistake. Spencer must have been there trying to investigate something. That was all. She froze for a moment, wondering that. Why would Spencer need to investigate there though?

Duncan came up and placed a gentle hand on her arm. "Ali?" He asked, "You okay?" She glanced at her friend, grimacing, "I don't know. I just had a really bad thought." At Duncan's lifted golden eyebrows, Alison smiled and said, choosing her words carefully, "Head to your job. I have to check a few things in Rosewood. I'll get back to you about it later."

Duncan hesitated and nodded, giving her one last hug before turning and walking down the trail to his car hidden in the woods. Alison turned back to say goodbye and get ready for her trip to Rosewood.

So that made it an additional trip that she had to make to Rosewood. She needed to go to Noel Kahn's place to meet Maya and see if they could recruit her.

But before that, she needed to go to Radley.

Maybe there were some records of a psycho that had escaped on the night she had almost been killed. The words Jack had said echoed in her mind. _"From the same place the mastermind was once."_

 **Hours later:**

Alison finally reached the outskirts of Radley. After jumping into various trains, keeping her hood up while paying for the bus and finally walking past the hanging sign of Rosewood and getting through the woods, she stood outside the mental facility. She eyed the threatening, towering pallid building. The black gates covered in ivy surrounded the building.

Alison shivered as she looked at every inch of the building. Grey and white, chipped walls, towers with windows where curtains were drawn. She shivered, stomach tightening and feeling hot tears threaten to start spilling at what Jack had said.

Spencer here? Being kept here in this sad, god awful, loveless place?

 _Please no_ …she couldn't bear the thought of Spencer here. Isolated, alone, seen as a pariah, an outcast.

She swallowed a sickening lump in her throat. She needed to find out what she could. If –A was connected at all to this place. Ducking through the forest, hiding from the cameras, she easily climbed up the walls, jumping over the gate, landing on her feet on the grass below.

She ran to the lowest window, scoping for any cameras that might spot her. There weren't any. She slipped to the window, pulling out a switchblade and prying the lock loose. She parted the curtains carefully. She saw no one. No patient. No staff or doctor. She breathed out a sigh of relief and slipped inside. Once in, she scanned the room again, then bolted to the hall, keeping her hood up.

Through the hall, she hid behind turns whenever she saw orderlies and patients. Her caution didn't help when she thought about Mona being here. This place made her hair stand on end. Every inch of every wall felt like they were closing in on you. She ducked down behind a desk when she saw the front desk. She saw a camera affixed into the wall. She knew that it was faced towards the door. Away from her. It hadn't caught her in its view yet.

She slowly lifted herself, checking the people at the desk. There was one woman at the desk. She sucked in a breath. Okay, she had an idea, but this was really risky and she was breaking a million more laws than she already had by doing this. Grabbing her throwaway phone from her pocket, she looked up on the internet what Radley's phone number was. Yes, apparently someone could easily find out a mental facility's phone number via the internet. Who knew? Finding the number, putting her phone on vibrate and typing the number into the phone she looked over the desk from where she hid at the young, pale, slender woman sitting there. After a few moments, the white phone perched in front of the woman rang.

Alison smiled, keeping her throwaway phone to her ear, getting ready and crouched down, crawling off to another room so the woman wouldn't hear her voice in literally the same room as she was in.

The young woman's voice came in through the cell phone's speakers, "Radley, hospital for the mentally ill, how may I help you?" Alison nearly burst out laughing, covering her mouth quickly before the laughter escaped. How could anyone be so cheerful like that? Just saying something like that? Ridiculous. "Hello?" The woman asked again. Alison sucked in a breath, pulled her hand away and began, "Yes. Hello, my name is Vivian Vanderwaal. I'm a cousin of a patient that I heard goes here. Mona Vanderwaal? I have been traveling and I didn't learn she had to be committed until I got back. Could you please check to see if she is still here, please, if it's not troubling you in any way? Please? It's just…Mona and I were really close when we were little and if she is still there I would like to know if she's allowed visitors at least."

There was a hesitation and a sigh. "One moment." The woman said and there was the sound of the phone being put down. Alison breathed out, relieved and snuck out of the room, still staying low. She peaked her head out, seeing the woman still there, checking on her computer. Alison smiled. Good, that meant that the woman was distracted. Alison crawled along the floor, past the desk and the cameras, getting to the restricted doors. She smiled. The hospital records had to be in one of these rooms.

A chipper voice came in through the speakers of her phone as Alison pushed through one of the "staff only" doors. As Alison reached the stairs, she heard, the woman's voice, "Yes, Ms. Vanderwaal? Mona is allowed visitors. But only during the day. Mornings and nights we have a patient get together only." Alison smiled. "Okay, thank you very much." She said in her most charming voice, "I will love seeing Mona again. Have a good night." "Thank you, you too." Came the bright cheery voice and Alison hung up, rolling her eyes.

"Seriously," She grumbled, shoving the phone back into her pocket, "Are the staff here taking what they're giving the patients?" Well, she knew one thing now at least. Mona was allowed visitors. Who knew who was visiting the little nut job and taking orders from her or _giving_ to Mona? She'd have to check that out later.

Right now, she had the documents. She reached the bottom of the stairs, finding the file cabinets. She sucked in a breath, grimacing. What exactly was she looking for though? Where to start? Looking between the cabinets she rolled her eyes. Well, time to start checking alphabetically. See if there were any names she recognized.

Just as she was about to start the most tedious inspection ever, a thought occurred to her. She remembered what Jack said when he had his vision. _"much closer than you think."_ Alison, before she could think further about it, went to the cabinets and pulled open one, immediately going through the files to she found the "Ds." Determined, she flipped through the files, getting to "Di" and then to "Dig." She stopped and scanned again.

Well, look at that.

No record of any DiLaurentis being in Radley.

Alison bit her lower lip. So okay…she had been wrong, possibly. There wasn't any record of a DiLaurentis here. Unless it was disposed of. It wouldn't be the first time –A had destroyed evidence. She shook her head. Either way, there was nothing she could do about this. There was no record she could see on a DiLaurentis. So for now, she had to assume that those words of "closer than you think" meant something else.

She snorted grimly. Looked like she was going to have to do this the old fashioned way. Going back to her original plan, she went to one of the other cabinets, pulling it out and sorting through the "A" cabinet.

An hour passed and Alison felt exhausted. She could run a marathon, break into places, scale fences and feel exhilarated. Put her in front of files like this for a few minutes and she was done.

Finally, she had reached the "H" file. She flipped through them, till reaching the "Has" and her blood froze when she read something.

 _Hastings._

She stared. She looked closer. Hastings. It was Hastings alright. Her mouth almost dropped. Melissa? Could she find something to hold over Melissa? What she saw next, however, made her feel like someone stabbed her. Specifically…..one Hastings, Spencer. Alison couldn't feel anything. It felt like her heart had stopped beating. This….couldn't be.

She wiped her eyes a few times. Maybe she was just tired. Maybe she was seeing things.

She read again. It was there, yet again. _Hastings, Spencer._

She shook her head, not believing. Cold sweat broke all around her body. This couldn't be. But it was there. She tried to tell herself in that moment that –A had created the evidence, that it was a fake document created by _-A_.

But the clues. The ones Jack had said, not remembering his words later when he snapped out of it. Spencer being in Radley…..and now…..her mind wandered to the night she had almost been killed. Spencer being blitzed, Spencer lifting a shovel. The other times she knew Spencer had been high and couldn't remember what she did the next day. If Spencer didn't even remember some of the things she did…..

She bit her lip, shaking her head. No, no, she couldn't think that.

God, she just couldn't think that!

Spencer had nothing to do with –A. She was one of –A's victims, his or her target. She wasn't connected to –A at all. Spencer was innocent. She was being tricked by Melissa and Toby. Thinking that Spencer might have anything to do with –A? That thought was as insane as this place was. For god's sake, Spencer was almost killed on the train the other night because of -A.

Still not moving, eyes wide and looking at the name on the file, Alison kept her hands fixed on the top of the folder. She felt like she was holding Pandora's Box. The moment she opened it, all of the evils of the world would come spilling out, ripping everything, even hope from her.

Alison found a dark laugh bubbling out. How appropriate. What was that Spencer had said once? _"Hope breeds eternal misery."_

Alison gulped in air, feeling the blood drain from her face. God, this was not what she had been expecting. At all. Anyone else's file she could handle. Anyone else.

Jason or her parents once having been here would not have been a shock for her at all, having a deranged half-sibling wouldn't have been a surprise for her either. Her family was just that kind of messed up family people heard about on the news-and not in a good way. Hell, she might even be able to handle finding out one of the other girls had been here when they were younger, no matter how much it might hurt.

But Spencer? Alison nearly felt the floodgates break open again. God, what could have been so bad that Spencer had to be sent here? Here, of all places?! Veronica Hastings...Alison had never thought highly of Spencer's father, but she thought at least Veronica would prevent something like that from happening. Love Spencer enough to keep her out of a place like Radley. And when was this?!

Dammit, this was why she wished Jack actually knew what he said and understood it when he had those visions.

Finally making up her mind, Alison pulled the document out, bringing it to her chest captive, like it was a fragile, wounded animal that might escape at any moment and looked at the name of her first love.

Alison tried not to cry, staring at the name, still trying to deny it. Maybe it had nothing to do with –A at all. Maybe it had just been the drug problem. Spencer certainly had that. But even that thought, meant to reassure herself had sent a horrid stab through her heart. The very thought of Spencer being here was horrifying. It made a cold fist wrap around her heart and squeeze painfully.

Taking one last breath, Alison grabbed the edge of the folder. Deciding to open Pandora's Box, she flipped the folder, eyes falling to the document.


	7. Opening Pandora's Box

**Warnings for mental illness, and implied sexual abuse**

 **Chapter 7: Opening Pandora's Box:**

In the basement of Radley, stood Alison DiLaurentis, presumed dead almost three and a half years ago and confirmed just half a year ago by all of Rosewood that she was truly dead because there was a body. Just not Alison's. Standing in a badly lit basement, staring at a file, she knew she should never have found.

Alison knew what she was doing was probably going to be akin to ripping her heart out, but she did it anyway. She had hurt so many, including the girls she loved, it seemed only fitting. Cupping the folder in her black gloved hands, she snapped open the folder and looked down at the document within it. She stared at the photo, of a girl lacking in all color, save for her long, tangled brown hair. Distinct facial features of the nose and cheeks. All blood left the young girl's face. And her eyes. Oh god, her eyes. Alison shuddered. No one's eyes, much less Spencer's should look like that. Those beautiful eyes were empty. So, so empty. She read the words. Read them over and over. Every single word.

" _Spencer Hastings"_

 _DOB: 4/11/94_

 _Mother: Veronica Hastings_

 _Father: Peter Hastings_

 _Siblings: Sister, Melissa Hastings_

 _Age: 8_

Alison stared at the age. That…that could not be. That just could not be. Age 8?! How had Spencer had a drug problem at the age of 8?! She narrowed her eyes. Wait, her family had moved to Rosewood when she was four. She had met Spencer when they were 9. They had known each other only a year after then. How had she not known about this?! How had Spencer not told her about this? Given the hold she had on those girls, she had a hard time believing Spencer wouldn't tell her this.

Checking more of the file, she reread every single further piece of information.

What was she thrown in here for?

 _DOA: 3/20/02_

 _Reason for Admission: Unknown_

She blinked. She blinked again. She reread the words again and again. Unknown? _Unknown? UNKNOWN?!_ She stared, mouth dropping. Was this document really telling her that an eight-year-old was locked up here in Radley for no known reason. Feeling the bile start to gather, every inch of her person on fire with rage, she tried desperately to come up with a logical explanation.

Maybe Spencer's parents had paid to keep that bit of information out of the file.

She really, really hoped that was all it was.

Unable to think of anything else to do, unless she wanted to start ripping the file apart, she looked for more information. What doctor was looking over her-who were her visitors?

 _Visitors: Veronica Hastings, Melissa Hastings, Wren Kingston_

Alison stiffened. So, okay, Peter Hastings hadn't visited his own daughter at all while she was here. That somehow didn't surprise her. Peter was an awful father. He and her father, Kenneth both were rotten fathers. She narrowed her eyes at the last name. Wren Kingston?

Wasn't that the guy that Melissa had dated previously? The doctor? He had visited Spencer when the brunette had been here as a child? A chill ran up and down Alison's spine at the thought. And hadn't Wren been involved with Spencer for a bit?

Well, this wasn't creepy at all. Wren already was pretty damn suspicious. He was older than Spencer clearly by a good seven or eight years. He had passionately kissed a girl that was only fifteen. At the time, when Alison had learned of Wren's involvement with Spencer a year and a half ago, she hadn't thought much of it until she had learned of the man's actual age.

He was a pedophile.

He was old enough to nearly marry Melissa, he was legally an adult. Spencer was not. Alison had almost attacked him once when she had learned that. She had stood outside his house and nearly barged in, brandishing her switchblade. Thankfully Noel and Cece restrained her, pointing out that they had no proof and if Wren died it would only bring suspicions to Spencer and her family.

But now….knowing this, that Wren had been near Spencer as a child…Alison shivered at the thought. That was a little unsettling. She checked Spencer's physician. Her heart stopped for the twentieth time that night.

 _Dr. Paul Kingston_

She stared at the name. Another doctor. Likely Wren's father.

She sucked in a breath. This was getting more and more suspicious. She then held back a laugh. No, why would –A leave something like this? If Wren or his father had anything to do with –A or _were_ –A themselves, or only one of them was, why would they leave this here for anyone with authority or could break in like she could to find? No, this might have just been a decoy. She bit her lip as her stomach turned. But if someone as sleazy as Wren had anything to do with Spencer when she was a child and held here in Radley, helpless…she had to do something about that creep.

She stared at the photo of the young girl, feeling her heart clench, almost wincing at the sight of the empty, pained eyes of her dear one. The thought of her here, being preyed upon by Wren, who had likely been a young teen then, it was horrifying. And what to do about this file? She swallowed another lump. She couldn't…she just couldn't leave Spencer here. She knew how crazy that sounded, but she just couldn't leave this file. It felt like a piece of Spencer. She just couldn't leave it here.

She just couldn't leave Spencer here in this horrible place. She was taking it with her.

She closed the file, and knowing that it was a stretch, got up, and walked to the "K" cabinet, opening it and flipping through the Ks. She finally found "King." Kingston. Her jaw dropped. So Wren _had_ been a patient here.

She pulled Wren's file up out of the cabinet, closed the cabinet door and opened Wren's file.

Apparently he was fifteen. Alison stared at the date of admission. It was only a month after Spencer had been admitted. She felt bile starting to rise. Spencer was 8 and Wren had been fifteen. Her teeth clenched. She was going to kill Wren. She knew that without a doubt now. Hot tears started to gather. She was going to kill him.

Through her tears, she scanned everything till she found Wren's reason for being in Radley.

 _Condition: Dissociative Identity Disorder_

She stiffened.

Dissociative Identity Disorder? Wasn't that...wasn't that what people called those with multiple personalities? Wren had multiple personalities? Was that really a thing? She thought you'd only see that on TV. She had never heard of it actually happening in real life. She stared, mouth agape. But, with Wren's file here, that confirmed one thing.

Here was some bad news and some worse news.

The bad news was, Wren Kingston and his father were not –A. There was no way. –A would never be this sloppy. –A would never let his/her information out like this. This document, _and_ Spencer's would have been destroyed before anyone could have found it. Wren and his father weren't –A.

The worse news was, on top of everything else, that meant that as well as –A, -A's minions and this Lyndon James, now Wren Kingston, a complete perv that was after Spencer was running around.

Alison snorted, glaring at the photo of the innocent looking Wren, "I've got ninety-nine problems and a bunch of stalkers, rapists, creepers and sociopaths are all of them."

She glared at the visitor list.

 _Visitors: Paul Kingston, Marie Kingston, Val Oliver, David Grant_

Alison cocked an eyebrow, wiping her tears away with her left gloved hand. Val Oliver? David Grant? Who was David Grant? Who was Val Oliver?

Seeing no more about this David Grant or Val Oliver, she closed Wren's file, scooped both files up under her left arm and went over to the "G" cabinet. She opened it and flipped through the "Gs." There was no David Grant in these files. There was a "Will Grand" but no "Grant." She then moved to the O cabinet and checked through the "Os." There was no Val Oliver. There were two Olivers here. Martin and Luke Oliver, brothers. But no Val Oliver. Alison took an unpleasant moment to flip through both brothers files. Unpleasant, because both brothers were criminally insane.

There was no mention of any _Val_ in the brothers' files or family.

And oh yes, according to the files, one of them-Martin was dead. The other, Luke was in a coma.

"Hmm." Alison mumbled, closing the drawer. Never mind. Grant and Oliver were probably just visitors. Family friends of the Kingstons, maybe.

She breathed out and went to the "H" cabinet again. She hated it, but she had to keep looking. Wren was not –A. He certainly was a problem, but he wasn't –A. And she was looking for a _particular_ psychopath. Keeping the two files close by her feet as she opened the "H" cabinet again, she started flipping through them, past where she first had found Spencer's file.

Another couple of hours flew by and Alison reached the "P" cabinet and still she found nothing. No name jumped out at her or seemed suspicious as a fake name. She was just glad that there was a sink down here for her to cup her gloved hands under and get water from. Normally she'd never even think about getting water from a place like this but given her near dehydration half an hour ago when she was by the "Ms," she'd take her chances.

Two more hours passed on by and she reached the "W" cabinet." She was halfway through it when she felt a vibration against her outer thigh. She froze. It was a vibration on her right outer thigh. Where her real phone was. Not her throwaway phone. Her throwaway phone was a decoy.

She shouldn't be getting texts on her real phone. No one besides Cece knew that number. At least, she was pretty sure of it.

She pulled her hands out of the cabinet and reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone. She swiped the text icon and looked at the number she did not recognize. Not Cece's number.

 _Trying to find dirt, are you, Ali? Well, you don't need to look very far. I'm much closer than you realize. So much closer. Go check in one of the previous cabinets to find out. You know which one. –A_

Alison swallowed hard, whirling around, scanning the cabinets. Oh hell…..was –A here?! Her eyes darted around at anything. Any shadow, any black thing that shouldn't be there…

Was –A here? Now? In this room?

She looked over, to the filing cabinet closest to the stairs. The "A" cabinet. She looked at the text again. _You know which one._

Yeah, she figured she did.

Picking up Spencer and Wren's files, she went over to the "A" cabinet, glancing from side to side at the walls, wondering if there was a black hooded figure hiding there, somewhere. Probably.

She got to the A cabinet, pulled it open and much to her lack of surprise, there _was_ something there that hadn't been there before. A photograph. She shined the flashlight on it. Her mouth dropped open. What the f….?

There was a young woman right in front of the camera. Asleep. At least, Alison hoped. A young woman with long, black hair. Her hands were bound together. Alison's heart pounded. No. It couldn't be.

Noel was supposed to protect her

But it was!

Maya St. Germain?!

She whirled around, the picture of friend's first girlfriend in her hands. She scanned the room over and over for the hooded figure she was sure was in here with her. "Where is she?" She hissed, "Where is she?!" She stared around at the room. She felt her phone vibrate again. Feeling dread stream through her, Alison swiped the text icon, seeing what was written.

 _You want her? Come find her. I bet she misses Emily. But not as much as I've missed you. –A_

She stared "Not as much as you've missed me?" She echoed, looking around the room. "What do you mean?! Who _are_ you?!" She waited. She saw no dark figure in the shadows of the barely lit room. There was no further text on her phone. She waited still. Five minutes of standing there, staring and nothing.

She shivered and picked up Spencer's and Wren's files, keeping them and Maya's picture close. Was –A bluffing? Did this picture mean that –A had Maya? How had –A gotten her away from Noel? Alison got chills thinking about this. The girl that had been her friend's girlfriend and –A had her. So –A was going to kidnapping now.

But the question was, why had –A taken Maya? If that _was_ what –A was implying. Alison stared again at the photo as she walked up the stairs, still wondering if –A was watching her from somewhere around the cabinets. The picture looked new. Maya's hair was longer and much straighter than the older pictures she had seen.

Maya looked unconscious. She couldn't tell, but she really hoped that the bound arms indicated that Maya _needed_ to be restrained and was therefore only unconscious and not dead. Her heart thudded. She looked around again from the top of the stairwell. She saw no one again, but there was a creaking noise from across the room and her mouth nearly dropped when she saw the swinging of a glass window. She hadn't heard it swinging before…..

She scowled, fury in her blue eyes. Looked like –A had fled the building. Pulling out her real cell phone, she texted back to –A furiously.

 _I'll find her. You understand me? I'll find her!_

She pressed "send" and whirled back around out the door and snuck back through the hall, ducking past orderlies and patients, out onto the grass of the facility, going into the woods, still holding the files, the knife and Maya's picture close.

She checked where the window was still swinging, seeing where –A _must_ have gotten in. There, she spotted the unlocked window, several screws on the grass and an abandoned black and green screwdriver next to them. She huffed out, shaking her head.

She started walking towards the forest when she felt another vibration.

She pulled out the phone and glared at the new text.

 _Oh Ali, I have no doubt about that. But at what cost? What's the price you're willing to pay? Is it as much as you're willing to pay for them? -A_ The text ended with an accompanied photo of all four of the girls in Rosewood, in front of the church, in black dresses, looking at their phones.

Alison hissed out, teeth clenching, bolting to the woods. Rage, pure, utter rage roiled around, motivating her every movement. God help her, she had no idea at all who –A was, but for Maya, for these girls who she'd do anything for, for Spencer, she was going to make –A pay. –A, -A's minions, Lyndon James, Wren, all of them. They were going to pay. Dearly.

She started dialing in Noel's number. They had to talk. NOW.

 **For anyone wondering, Maya's still alive. –A does have her. As for Wren? Whatever theory you have that Wren is –A, give it up. As established, -A would never be that sloppy, and we all know it.**

 **Wren's just a creep. And please tell me I'm not the only one that knew that. Seriously, kissing both Spencer and Hanna-underage girls. (Makes a** **disgusted face)**

 **Ah, and thank you for letting me know "multiple personality disorder's" proper name, antinomian. Didn't know if it had another name besides the original one I put up.**


	8. Rescue Missons-Worst dating advise

**Chapter 8: A bad Rescue Mission and even worse Dating problems:**

"How could this happen, Noel?!" Alison demanded, staring at the large boy who currently looked like he was ready to bury his face in his hands, "I thought she was safe with you!"

"I thought so too, okay?" Noel said, hand resting in his dark hair, "I swear. She was coming back from visiting Emily and around the time she said she'd be back in, I didn't see her at all. Jenna and I…." Noel's voice trailed off, guilt crossing those bright green eyes as he looked away.

"Jenna and you-?" Alison echoed slowly, trying to figure out what her brother was saying. She knew about Noel's relationship with Jenna. She wasn't going to judge. She and Noel were a lot of things, one of those things was not innocent. So really, she couldn't judge, could she? Besides, she had seen how Noel looked at Jenna on those video cams Cece had planted for her. She couldn't deny her brother that much happiness. Even _she_ wasn't that heartless.

And just because Noel was in a relationship with Jenna, who was part of the A-Team, didn't mean she doubted Noel's loyalty. She didn't doubt it for a second.

"Well," Noel started up again awkwardly, "Jenna and I were coming back from a date, and going inside the cabin. I figured Maya was coming back, but she didn't come into the cabin. When I checked the time, I knew she was late, and I got worried. I went outside to see if she had come by but I just found her bike. I called her phone, but when I heard it and ran after it, I found _it_ , just not Maya." Noel's panicked look sent a pained jolt through Alison. She hated seeing that look on his face. Hated how worried and guilty he looked.

"And I was gonna call you, but that was right around the time you called me." He said quietly, looking down.

"Okay," Alison mumbled, trying to keep her emotions under control, "There's a camera recording everything outside, right? I'm sure –A wouldn't be dumb enough to be seen on it, but let's just look over it. Assuming –A hasn't already destroyed it." Noel nodded, immediately enthusiastic to do something that might help, even if it was a little.

"Right." He said quietly, "Right, yeah. Come on." They walked outside the cabin to where the camera was affixed into the wooden pole next to a tall tree, the wire leading all the way into the house. Noel went to the pole and used his specialized keys to unlock the box attached to the pole, wires running through the box. He opened the box and there was a panel.

As he did this, Alison pulled out her throwaway phone and texted Margo and Shana, telling them Maya had been abducted and telling them to come to the rescue.

After she sent the texts, Alison watched Noel's work, unfazed. She had known Noel since she was six. She was used to the Kahn family having technology.

That was why at first her very first initial suspect for being –A had been either Noel or his brother.

She thought they were pulling pranks on her.

After all, it wouldn't be the weirdest thing for Noel to be pulling pranks on her. That was basically her and Noel's relationship, teasing each other and pulling pranks on one another.

Obviously, she had been wrong.

Noel typed in the code and there beeping went off successfully. He and Alison turned back to the cabin and went inside, going to the special room where the screens were, to survey the happenings around the area, closing the door behind them.

"Okay," Noel said, dropping into his seat and tapping the buttons in front of the first screen, "this should tell us when Maya got here."

They rewound the tape. As the tape rewound, Noel, wanting to talk about something else, Noel spoke carefully, "What about you? I know you were coming back from somewhere. Where did you go?"

Alison froze again, thinking about the two files that were sitting in her backpack right behind her.

As she considered her answer to Noel, she nearly forgot about the tape. Her first instinct was to not tell Noel. She didn't want to think about how he would react to her going to Radley of all places. And she didn't want to mention that she had found a file on Spencer there. But she had made her choice a year ago that she would try to trust the people close to her. Not lie so much.

Finally, she found the words coming out gradually, "I snuck into Radley." There. There it was. Now came the shit storm. The price that came with telling the truth.

The large boy jumped up from his seat, eyes huge. "Radley?" He asked, face pale, "Ali, what were you doing there? What if you were seen? What if one of the patients were violent? Not to mention, Mona's there!"

Alison sighed, wishing she could soothe Noel's need to protect more easily, but knew she couldn't. She could just use logic.

"I have no doubt that several of those patients were violent," She said, crossing her arms over her chest, "I just didn't run into them. And I was careful not to be seen. By Mona or anyone else. And what I was doing there was trying to find any names I recognized. See if there were any ties to –A."

She could see in how Noel's frame were tensing that he wanted to grab her and keep her from ever putting herself in another dangerous situation, but he was able to contain himself-barely though.

Alison spoke carefully, "Noel, I need you to control yourself. Contain the explosion that is your brotherly protectiveness."

Noel let out a choked laugh, shaking his head, "You shouldn't have gone there alone, Ali. You should have brought one of us along."

"Maybe," Alison sighed, "But nothing can be changed now. I went there. I found out Mona Vandernut is allowed visitors." Noel's eyes went wide and she nodded, smiling, "Yeah. She's allowed visitors. So she probably is giving orders or getting them to or from someone."

"Right," Noel said, furrowing dark eyebrows, "Anything else?"

Alison's teeth clenched a bit as she thought about his question. The two files that she had in her backpack suddenly felt like they weighed a ton. They felt like hot, burning sacks of coal against her back. Bombs that were about to go off at any moment, should anyone see them. Seeing her hesitance, Noel looked at her more closely.

"Ali," He said firmly, "Don't hide stuff from me. Please. Not from me."

Alison huffed out, knowing she had to show him something. She could show him, at least half the truth, right? He didn't need to know about Spencer's file. She could just show him Wren's so he'd know to look out for the guy.

Sometimes only the half-truth was better than anything else.

She nodded, "Alright, Noel. I found a file on someone the girls know. Wren Kingston." Noel narrowed his eyes. "Isn't that the pervert that kissed Spencer? The way older guy? The doctor?"

"Yeah." Alison answered, "It is." She pulled her backpack off, unzipped it and checked the names first, making sure to only pull out Wren's file and keep Spencer's hidden in her backpack, giving Wren's file to Noel before zipping her bag back up.

Noel opened the file and looked at it. Surveying it, his mouth dropped open. "Dissociative personality disorder? Wait, like multiple personalities? And who are these David Grant and Val Oliver guys?"

Alison shook her head, hands going limp at her sides. "I have no idea," She grumbled, pulling her phone out and dialing Margo and Shana's numbers, "Family friends of Wren's? I don't know. Either way, we need to watch Wren."

Noel was about to say something when a flash exuded out of the TV screen, making them both jump. The footage had rewound completely. They had forgotten about it and it had gone all the way to when it first started recording. Both siblings hissed through their teeth.

"Damn," Noel grumbled, walking to the panel, "Now I have to fast forward it." He began doing just that, then looked at the file again as the footage moved forward.

Noel looked up at Alison from the file and said, smiling, "You know what we could do with this, right?"

Alison lifted her eyebrow and it took only a moment to process what Noel was suggesting.

"Oh no," She said, almost dropping her cell phone, "Noel, you know I'm not going to blackmail anyone anymore. I swore off that." Noel eyed her skeptically. "You can't tell me that you weren't thinking it the moment you saw this document." He said knowingly, closing the file.

Alison swallowed. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought about it.

"Yeah." She finally admitted, glaring at the screens, "I'll admit it. I thought about it. But I don't want to do it unless it's necessary." She looked back at the file in Noel's hands, "And I hate to say it, but I think it might end up being necessary soon." She sighed deeply, feeling that dark, hideous creature she had suppressed for so long start to surface again. It was a macabre, twisted, vile thing she had caged in the back of her mind that had been such a huge part of her life, that lashed out and extended its pain to others-committing a various number of distasteful acts, including excessive blackmail.

When she had chosen to lock it up in the dark recesses of her mind, it felt like being split in half, but she knew that it was necessary if she truly wanted to change.

But knowing now that they were up against a possible army of pedophiles, murderers, stalkers and bullies, some of which had a great deal of power in the town of Rosewood like Wren, Darren Wilden and Melissa Hastings, she knew with a terrible clench around her heart that she might have to let that beast out again.

She stared at the file. "Make copies of it," She said at last to Noel, "We don't want to use this yet. But scan it and send it to each of our fake emails. We need those fake ones in case –A gets a hold of this. We'll make copies and we'll see if we should scan it and send it as a warning to Wren. Or his father." Even as the logical, reasonable words came out, Alison could almost feel the pleased hissing noise of the monster she had locked up in her mind.

Noel nodded in agreement, walking over to the scanner and began putting the file over the large screen, typing in his, then Alison's fake emails that hopefully, -A wouldn't identify and wouldn't track.

Once he was done with that, Noel walked to a large square object covered by black cloth, pulling the cloth away, opening the safe and throwing the document in, closing the safe, locking it. He then covered it again with the cloth. He turned to Alison and said, "Jenna doesn't know about this safe. Or the scanner. I haven't told her yet. And there aren't any cameras in here specifically for –A to hack. Alison nodded, hoping he was right, severely. Considering this was –A they were talking about, what else could they do?

"Right." She answered, pulling the straps of her backpack closer to her, wanting Spencer's file to be as secured as possible.

She felt a vibration and pulled out her throwaway phone and looked at Margo's text. She looked up, "Margo and Shana will be here soon." "Good." Noel simply said, and went to the panel, checking the screen and stopping occasionally to see how close they were getting. Finally, Noel saw something that must have satisfied him, because he grinned and stopped the fast forwarding altogether.

"Here!" He exclaimed, stopping the footage and letting it play what happened hours ago.

There was footage of Noel and Jenna going into the cabin. The door closed and literally a minute later, Maya arrived on her bicycle. She dismounted it, was getting ready to go in, then just like that, like a terrible phantom waiting for its prey, a shadow cast out on the ground as Maya was snatched by…someone from the side, pulling Maya away, the girl's beanie hat falling.

Alison's heart pounded, staring. She looked at the anxious eyes of her brother who was looking up at her from where he sat. "Is there any other footage of this?" She asked, grasping at straws, "from any angles, any clues at all?"

Noel shook his head. "There are other cameras," He said glumly, glaring at the screens, "But it doesn't show much. Just the usual –A crap. Just a figure in a hoodie grabbing Maya and putting a cloth over her face. Chloroform, I'm guessing." He scowled at the screen to the left and tapped a button. The visual changed and from this angle it showed the woods where –A had been hiding. The black hooded figure lurked and pulled out of the way, deeper in the forest as Noel and Jenna walked by.

The two, holding hands didn't even bother checking if anyone was there as they went inside. Alison wouldn't tell Noel this, but she stared closely at Jenna, checking to see if the dark-haired girl was looking behind her- _knowing_ that –A was there. Jenna didn't look. Maybe she genuinely didn't know.

Alison dismissed that thought though. She knew how much Noel loved Jenna, but she couldn't believe for even a second that Jenna was genuine in anything or cared about anyone but herself. This _was_ the same girl that forced herself on her own stepbrother and blackmailed him to keep him from telling.

The same thing happened that Noel described. The dark figure emerged behind Maya who arrived on her bike, grabbed Maya, slapped a cloth of some kind over Maya's mouth and nose, and as the dark-skinned girl struggled for a few seconds, she eventually collapsed in –A's arms. The completely masked and covered –A turned and carried Maya off in their arms. Alison stared at the figure, pressing the "rewind" button, and looked at it.

Hmm. The figure was slim. Small. This –A didn't look very big and strong. It looked like it was an effort to carry Maya off.

"There must have been a car or something nearby that –A threw Maya into," Alison said, stepping back from the controls, "Because there's no way that –A could have carried Maya all the way to wherever they're keeping her. This –A doesn't look very strong."

"Yeah." Noel said, staring, "They're bigger than Mona, but…..they're not that big. Toby's pretty strong. He could have carried Maya off. That's not Toby." Noel glanced to Alison again, "Lucas?"

Alison narrowed her eyes and looked at the paused figure of –A. That might have been Lucas. Lord knew that kid didn't have much muscle mass. "Hmm," She mumbled bringing her finger to her chin in uncertainty, "There's a question of how much –A's minions are allowed to know. I'm pretty sure Lucas is just a minion. And I don't know if –A would let him know about something like a kidnapping. Much less of Emily's girlfriend." She took another look at the figure. "It's too small to be Melissa. I think." She analyzed the figure, "Too small to be Wilden too."

A troubled name left Noel's lips, "McCullers?" Alison looked down at Noel who was looking curious.

"Paige?" Alison demanded, shaking her head, face showing just how ridiculous she found that, "No way. Paige is strong. She'd be able to lift Maya easily."

"But her relationship with Emily-" Noel started, but Alison glared down at him and Noel looked away, immediately going quiet.

"All I'm saying is," Noel mumbled out, "McCullers has motive."

Alison shrugged, "Yeah, well so do a bunch of people in this rotten town."

Noel looked up again at her, "Not when it comes to Emily. With Emily, McCullers has a specific motive."

Alison just shook her head. "Can it, Noel," She grumbled, "Paige wouldn't do that. She's a good person."

Noel snorted and Alison stared at her brother, daring his next words. He rose to the challenge and said, locking eyes with the girl he called sister nearly his whole life, "Sure. Sure she's a good person. That must be what you call her bullying you." When Alison opened her mouth, letting out a defensive, "That was-" Noel cut her off quickly but gently, "I know it was "self-defense," Ali, but it wasn't just you. She's been a bully to so many other people. She was awful to people in field hockey. I've heard stories from some of the guys' girlfriends. And I also heard that she dunked Emily underwater." Alison froze when she heard that.

"What?" She asked, staring at her brother.

"Yeah." Noel nodded, smiling, "I had a feeling that would get your attention. Yeah. There was some insult apparently and someone, Spencer I think," Alison perked in further interest at hearing that, "That told on McCullers and she got real pissed about that and nearly drowned Emily."

Alison seemed shocked, not moving. "She did that?" She asked, voice holding a tremor of suppressed anger, staring, "Why is Emily with her then?" Noel shrugged, smiling ironically, "Why did Emily still love you after all the times you played with her heart? Why do you still love those girls after all the times we've heard them say bad shit about you over the years?"

Alison winced. She hated saying it, but he had a point. Logically, Emily would have been better off dropping her after Alison had played with the poor swimmer's feelings so many times. But didn't. There were times when Alison, even before almost being killed couldn't believe that Emily remained loyal and devoted to her after all the mind games she had played with the other girl. And hearing all the things Hanna, Aria, Emily and _especially_ Spencer had said about Alison, thinking that she was dead, hurt Alison, worse than she could imagine it. But she still loved them. All of them. She'd still do anything for them.

Love had nothing to do with logic. Love was weird, bizarre and at times, dangerous.

That didn't help her now boiling rage towards Paige. Rage that she had once forgotten, and told herself was petty, childish and disgusting. Now it returned with fervor and this time, with good reason, if what Noel was saying was true.

Alison breathed out, slowly placing her right palm to her face in aggravation. "You know, Noel," She grumbled, "I'm really starting to worry about the girls' taste in partners. One's dating someone who's on the A-Team, one is dating a hacker who used her and broke her heart, one's dating a pedophile, and one is dating someone who almost drowned her." Alison shook her head against her hand, "I'm really starting to worry about their dating preferences."

"Well," Noel shrugged, "At least Emily fell in love with _you_."

"That's not reassuring." Alison said, lowering her hand, "That makes me rest my case. Considering I messed with her feelings more times than anyone can count, I'm pretty sure you just proved my point. And between all of my imbecile conquests," Alison rolled her eyes at the thought of all the idiotic men she had burned through, "And you dating Jenna," At Noel's questioning look, Alison sighed again, "I'm really starting to worry about our dating preferences." Noel sighed out, chuckling and nodding. Alison added, "At least there was Maya for Emily." Alison eyed the video, "We need to find where –A's taken her. Regardless of who that is in the footage."

"Right." Noel nodded, "Also, I just want to show you this. Just so you won't suspect Jenna in any of it."

He pressed play on both the previous film and on the one Alison was looking at. On both of them, after a few minutes when Maya disappeared, Noel came out of the cabin, looking around. Jenna followed. Alison watched Jenna's face. Jenna's face looked clearly shocked when both she and Noel found only the bicycle and the phone in the bushes. She looked upset.

Noel paused both screens and looked up at Alison hopefully.

Alison nodded, "Noel, I want to believe that Jenna had nothing to do with it. Honestly. But we both know she's as good an actress as I am."

She saw the hurt cross Noel's eyes and immediately guilt settled in. She flinched. "Noel," She began carefully, "I want to believe that she had nothing to do with it. And maybe she didn't. But she was part of the A-Team. She used Caleb to get information on Hanna. She might have had something to do with that body being stolen. I don't know how much she's involved with this. But it's a possibility. But she might know nothing too, okay?"

Noel nodded, still clearly hurt.

Alison winced again. God damn it. She didn't want to hurt people-especially the people she cared most about. Damn it.

"I'm sorry, Noel," Alison said, pained, "It's just, we did establish that we've made pretty bad dating choices at times. I think we all have. I'm not saying that Jenna might not be trustworthy now, but we have to hold that option open just like we do with McCullers for Emily. I mean, we did think that Toby could be trusted."

Noel nodded, sagging back into his seat. "You have a point." He said sadly, "I really am starting to worry about our dating choices." He gave a grim smile and Alison shrugged ruefully, smiling.

There was a knock on the wooden door of the cabin and both of them jumped again, turning.

Shana's voice came in through the door, "Hey! Ali! Noel! It's us!"

Alison smiled and ran over to the door, swinging it open. As soon as Shana and Margo stepped in, Alison threw herself at Shana then at Margo, both young women hugging their sister back closely. As they parted, they moved towards Noel and the screens, looking up at them.

Noel pointed to the screens where Maya was taken by –A, playing the first one of the shadow being cast and then Maya being snatched and then the next one of Maya being grabbed by a hooded, masked figure with a chloroform pad. Both Shana and Margo processed this then turned to Noel.

"How could this have happened?" Shana asked in disbelief, "You were supposed to be watching her-"

"Shana," Alison interrupted, placing a gentle hand on the older girl's arm, "Please, I already asked Noel that. He feels bad enough as it is. Right now, we have to figure out where –A's taken Maya. We need to rescue her."

Shana sighed, nodding. "Alright." She submitted, "But how?"

Margo stepped up, eyeing the screen. She pointed at the hooded figure that had Maya in its arms, "Who the hell is that?" "We don't know." Alison said what everyone likely already knew, "We've been trying to figure that out. But here's the thing, Shana, Margo, please," She looked at the other two in a rare pleading look that she realized she had been giving a great deal lately, "Please help me rescue Maya. If anything happens to her-"

"We won't let it happen." Shana promised, dark brown eyes turning fierce, "I know you care about Emily. I know it'll hurt you if anything hurts her. Besides," Shana's lips turned to form a dark, cool smirk, "No one gets away with abducting and doing violence to a girl while I'm around. No one."

Alison tried to hide her grin, greatly unsuccessful, she knew.

She could count on Shana, always.

"Alright," Noel stood up, "If you want to find her, I suggest a car. One that –A probably hasn't already seen. My dad's Honda would probably be good. He barely uses it and is thinking of selling it. You three can go wherever you need to with it. It's the dark blue car in the garage."

Alison nodded, smiling gratefully at him. The four headed out, Noel locking and securing the whole cabin as they moved to the other cabin, Noel getting the keys to the Honda and tossing them to Margo who caught them easily.

"I'll go with you if you want." Noel said, looking at them meaningfully.

Alison shook her head, "No. Thanks, Noel, but no. If you do something that's different than usual, -A might get suspicious. You're probably already under suspicion for hiding Maya. Just stay in Rosewood and look after the girls, okay?" Noel nodded, resigning, but his worried look remained on Alison.

His eyes traveled to the other cabin and Alison read his look of, _What about Wren's file?_

When he looked back at her, she gave him a silent look back, _We'll figure it out later._

Alison turned to Shana. "Cece's watching the girls too, right?" Shana nodded, "Yeah. Last time she and I spoke, she said that some guy was hanging out with Emily. A black guy who says he's Maya's cousin. Nate?"

Alison furrowed her eyebrows. She didn't recognize the name. A terrible feeling started rising as she thought about it. It wasn't too weird for a guy claiming to be family to start speaking with the said family member's girlfriend or even former girlfriend. But what if this guy wasn't who he said. What if he was….

"Noel," Alison started cautiously, turning to the boy, "Did Maya ever say anything about this Lyndon James? About what he looked like?"

"Well," Noel hesitated, thinking, "She did say that he was black. That he was handsome and black. She said he had these shoes that he refused to clean and one had a yellow paint splat all over it."

Alison looked at Shana. The older girl shrugged, "Cece never mentioned the paint splatter. I don't think she was looking at his shoes."

"Right." Alison said, cold shivers running up and down her spine at the thought of someone like the man Maya had described to Noel being near Emily, but knew they had to get to Maya fast.

"Noel," She said staring at him, "Watch this Nate guy. Find out whatever you can about him. Same with Toby and Paige." Noel nodded and leaned down, hugging Alison tight then doing the same with Shana. As Noel and Shana parted from their embrace, they walked out of the cabin, Noel locking up and pointing to the garage where the Honda was.

Noel then walked to his parked car and Alison followed Shana and Margo to the Honda in the garage.

Alison fished out the photograph of the bound Maya, looking at the background of the photo. She eyed the smokestacks behind Maya.

"I think I know where they are." She said, smiling, "The power plant. I think –A might have taken her to the power plant."

Shana and Margo exchanged startled looks before nodding and walking faster to the car.

Time for a half-assed rescue mission.

She was going to tell Shana and Margo on the way there about Wren's file. Hopefully they could access it from their phones and save the copy Noel had emailed to them. She kept her backpack close, and hoped no one ever laid eyes on Spencer's file. Ever.


	9. Do you Remember me?

**Chapter 9: Do you Remember me?**

Going down the road in Noel's father's blue Honda, Alison looked out the window, keeping a dark green hood up over her head and face, making sure she wasn't seen by anyone or any cameras.

Shana and Margo had kept their heads down as they were driving.

They were taking a usually abandoned back road towards the power plant. The power plant was at least 70 miles from Rosewood High. It would take a while before they got there. Shana, who was in the front passenger seat, turned around and looked over at Alison. "You should probably sleep for a bit," She advised gently, "You've been awake for a while."

Alison looked curiously at Shana. Shana smirked and said knowingly, "I got a call from Duncan. He said you've traveled to where he was at 2:00 in the afternoon. Then you came all the way back to Rosewood. Even if it wasn't that long, you've been moving all over the place. You're probably exhausted. Get some sleep. At least till we get there."

Alison got ready to protest, sending a slight glare to the older girl before Shana gave her a sidelong look, immediately making Alison reconsider. The blonde sighed, leaning back against her seat, back cushioned more by the backpack she was guarding behind her. "Alright." She finally submitted, "But wake me up as soon as we get there."

"Of course, baby girl." Shana promised, smiling, "Now just get to sleep."

Alison sighed and rested her head against the cushion of the headrest. True to Shana's words, as soon as she closed her eyes, trying to sleep, she passed out.

 _Cold. The room was so cold. The warmth of the black hoodie surrounding her body did nothing. She stared out from behind the black mask covering her face. The black-haired, dark-skinned girl tied up on the floor, squirming, staring up fearfully at her couldn't do anything. She had better not even try._

 _Though there was a gag in Maya's mouth keeping her from crying out, the hooded figure brought an index finger to the mask, in a silencing motion. Maya's eyes got bigger if possible._

 _Alison could feel herself walking away from Maya. Her view changed, going past a flight of steel stairs, past some generators, a conveyer belt of some kind that was arching up and towards a secluded opening. She entered, going through a bathroom door, walking past the stalls, to the sinks. Standing in front of the sinks and staring into the mirror, seeing her face covered completely by a night black mask, head covered by the same colored hood, she felt her right hand reached out, retrieving liquid soap from the soap dispenser and slamming the soap covered hand against the mirror, spreading the soap all over the mirror with rotating motions. As soon as all of the mirror was covered, Alison felt her right arm being pulled away, only for it to be brought back up again._

 _A single index finger projected out and began tracing it through the soap, writing an "H." Alison could hear the squeaking of the finger through the soap against the mirror. Could feel the pressure of the hard mirror's surface._

 _Alison stepped back, observing her work. The dripping words were "Hello, Alison. Do you remember me?"_

 _The index finger was brought up again, and pressed to the mouth of the mask._

" _Shhhh." Came the whisper behind the mask._

"Ah!" Alison jumped awake, eyes scanning around the car, making Margo stiffen at the wheel and Shana whirl around again. "Ali?" Shana asked, staring worriedly, "You okay?"

Alison stared, bewildered, mind gathering together what had just happened. What _was_ that just now?! "I…..I….," Alison mumbled, dumbfounded, "I don't know."

But a part of her knew. It had happened again. The dreams. She saw what –A saw. But how? Why? What the hell? All of those seemed like pretty damn reasonable questions, but she just couldn't, for the life of her even try to figure it out.

"Shh, shh." Came Shana's soothing voice, meant to calm, but memories of the dream, of -A doing the exact same thing made her jump against the seat, frightened eyes fixed on the now startled Shana. "Whoa, whoa." Shana said, holding her hands up, smiling, "Easy. It's okay. You're safe. Here with your big sisters."

Alison breathed out, relief overtaking her. Right. Shana and Margo were safe. It was okay. Or at least as okay as it could be given the circumstance.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to explain it." She said, eyes downcast. "Seriously, what the hell is going on?" She growled, cold shivers running up and down her back. Her anger and frustration were rising. Her life had never really been under _her_ control. She'd hoped that with this separation between her and her mother's manipulations and brother's and father's aggression, she'd have some stability. But this…this was mind shattering. What was this?!

"I just don't know." She whispered, shuddering, knowing that she had both Shana's concerned eyes on her and Margo occasionally checking in the rearview mirror to see if she was okay. She wasn't. She really wasn't.

And if she had this strange connection with –A, what did that mean? Those words –A had written on the mirror- _"Do you remember me?"_

"No," Alison growled, teeth clenching, "How can I remember you if I don't even know who you are or have never even seen your face?" Feeling eyes burning into her, she snapped her head up, feeling the bite building up in her words, but kept her mouth closed to keep her from yelling at Shana's attention. She knew that Shana knew her well enough to know when Alison meant and didn't mean the things that she said. But she didn't want to say something cruel to Shana. And she didn't want to get back into the habit of yelling at people without reason again. Old habits died hard and all that.

She looked at Shana, tightlipped and she could tell by Shana's playful smile but silent resignation that her childhood friend understood.

"Tell me whenever you're ready." Shana simply said, eyes still with lingering empathy and need to comfort her sister, but she clearly pushed down the desire just as strongly as Alison had was struggling right now with her temperamental impulses.

After six whole minutes passed, Alison breathed in deeply and let out the huge breath, feeling the furious burn ebbing away. She looked at Shana who turned back to her, "I'm sorry." She said quietly, "I'm real sorry, Shana. I just don't know what's going on…I feel so helpless."

"Ali…." Margo's pained voice trailed off and Shana tightened her hands over the leather bound seat. Alison wondered if they weren't driving and if there was more room if Shana would jump over into the backseat and hug her. She shook her head, back pushing more into the backpack in reassurance that the file on Spencer was still there.

"I'm sorry," She repeated, more to herself than anything else, but she was certain both Shana and Margo heard her, "-A…I think –A might know me. Personally. And I don't just mean in passing or I bullied –A or something. I think it's more than that."

Shana's concerned face was now drawn in fear. "How?" She whispered, "How do you think you know him or her?"

Alison shook her head, feeling her frustration build. "I don't. Know. Okay?" She snapped this time, staring at the floor of the car, "I really don't." At the anger in her tone, she sighed, looking up into the warm dark eyes of her overprotective older sister, "I'm sorry. I really just don't know. That's why it's so frustrating. It's just a feeling. And I can't figure it out. And…and I had another dream."

Margo slammed on the breaks hard, a shriek running through the air of the tires, Shana and Alison both slammed against their seats and Alison's face contorted from its control to fury, about to snap when Margo whirled around, dark brown eyes shocked and now afraid-afraid for herself or for Alison, the blonde didn't know. She would have yelled at Margo, if not for those imploring eyes, but thankfully, the road was almost abandoned at the moment.

"Those dreams?" Margo echoed, "You mean like the one with the greenhouse and Emily?"

Alison flinched, a freezing chill still encasing her whenever she thought of how real that dream felt, how the weight of that knife felt when raised above her head while aiming it at Emily, the terror in those wide brown eyes as she was about to bring the knife down.

The reality that Emily had almost been stabbed and that she had almost felt herself do it when she really wasn't there still haunted her. It was horrifying.

She couldn't blame Margo for her fear and anxiety.

But she knew she didn't want to lie about it, even if that _was_ her first instinct.

"Yeah. Like that one. This time it was with Maya. Maya was tied up and gagged. Then –A walked to a mirror and put soap all over it and wrote stuff on it." Alison grimaced and burst out laughing dryly, knowing what she was about to say was truly insane, "-A wrote my name in soap on the mirror. I think –A knows that I dream of what he or she is doing."

Both Shana and Margo had stiffened in their seats. "Ah hell." Shana said, tensing.

"That is _not_ good." Margo exclaimed, visibly shivering. "No kidding," Alison snapped, "We need to get there, fast. Margo, seriously, I know you're worried but the clock's ticking for Maya. Whatever –A has planned for her, it can't be good. Step on it." Hesitantly, Margo nodded, her wild black hair flying about her head as she turned in her seat and started up again, hitting the exceleration and driving fast.

The rest of the drive was tense with the anxieties of all three occupants, till Shana spoke up, "When did you get back to Rosewood, Ali?" Alison's head snapped up, startled at the question. Shana supplied, seeing Alison's look, "I know what Duncan said, but I don't know when exactly you got here." Alison opened her mouth, then closed it again but answered quickly eventually, "A few hours ago. Why?" For a moment, Alison's stomach tightened, thinking that Shana would ask what she had been doing back before she learned that Maya had been taken before Shana responded, "Just wondering. Maya was taken at 10:00 at night. It definitely took you less time than I thought it would to get to Noel's place. None of the girls were in immediate danger last time I saw them."

Alison didn't say a word. Shana wasn't asking what she had done, but the implications were right there. She suspected this was what Shana had wanted to ask since she heard from Duncan that she was returning to Rosewood. She wondered, with a thrill of paranoia, if Duncan had mentioned Jack's vision to Shana. If he did, Shana didn't seem to be interested in mentioning it. Normally, she would never be back in Rosewood, unless the girls were in some kind of trouble. There might have been a murderer running around with them, not to mention there was the threat of both Wren and –A constantly hanging over their heads, but nothing immediate. The question was there.

The question Shana likely wanted to ask. What the hell had Alison been doing back here before Maya was abducted?

All Alison found herself doing was shrugging. "I had research I needed to do. I was trying to find stuff out about –A just like always." That wasn't a lie. That had been what she had been back here for.

"Yeah, that gives me a lot of information," Shana said dryly. Though the older girl's voice was calm, Alison heard the warning.

 _Don't lie to me, Ali._

Alison slumped her shoulders. She understood the reaction. There was a difference between feeling like you needed time to tell someone something, and flat out deliberately avoiding the truth. She knew she was avoiding the truth, like Shana knew. Shana wasn't giving her the room to pull out of telling her like she had a few minutes ago for that reason. That, and there was a whole difference for traumatic reasons when it had come to the dream. Shana had known not to push it.

"I'm not lying to you about that." She said indignantly, "I did try to find out about –A. It's just that I thought that I might be able to find out about –A somewhere where we haven't looked before." Seeing both Shana and Margo's interests peaked, she hesitated and added, "Margo, I must request that you not slam on the breaks again. Especially now that there are other cars on the road."

True enough, there were multiple cars driving by on both sides.

She let the words out slowly, glancing out the window at a speeding blue corvette, hoping it would distract her from the fear of the other girls' reactions, "I thought maybe I might find information about –A at Radley."

As soon as the name "Radley" left Alison's mouth, the car swerved. "What?!" Margo almost bellowed.

"Easy, Mar," Shana exclaimed, laughter in her voice, but as those brown eyes traveled to Alison, the blonde knew without a doubt she was in trouble, "we don't want to end up smashed into a wall or something. If we die _before_ we meet –A I think that might be a little awkward."

As Margo got the car under control again, Shana kept her head turned towards Alison. "Ali," Shana began carefully, "We're almost there. And we don't have time. But after we rescue Maya and get her away from –A….." Shana's voice trailed off and Alison heard the darkness in it.

Shana was altogether a great person. She was protective, could be loving, knew who she was, and could provide enough flirtations and sass that could rival even Alison's or Cece's.

But here was the problem with friends that were like your big sisters or mothers.

When you put yourself in danger, especially unnecessary danger (without telling those friends), there were going to be serious problems.

Alison saw the dark warning in Shana's hardened eyes and nodded, acknowledging what Shana was saying. She wasn't scared of Shana. Not in the way she once was of her biological mother, Jessica. Because she knew for starters, Shana would never bury her alive. But besides that, Shana never abused her power or the love Alison had for her. Never.

But it sure as hell was going to be a shit storm after they escaped with Maya.

"I got it." She grumbled, leaning her head against the window, smirking, "Spank me later, why don't you?" Margo huffed, "Dude, really, Ali?" Shana chuckled, "Tempting sometimes. We'll deal with that later. Did you at least _find_ anything on this suicidal errand you went on?"

Alison didn't move from her spot, thinking about Wren's file. Not to mention that terrible file that sat behind her, pressed up against the seat that she was terrified of ever being parted from her person.

"I think I found something on Wren. Wren Kingston. Melissa Hastings's old fiancé."

At Shana's questioning look, Alison began, "He was in Radley. When he was fifteen. I looked at his file. He's got multiple personalities or something."

She was about to let out another dry laugh at both of the perplexed looks she was getting when the sight of the pale towers with plumes of black smoke flowing out of them caught Alison's attention. "We're here!" She grinned, grabbing at her knife, getting ready. Shana turned around and looked at the power plant.

"So we are." Shana said. She leaned down and pulled the duffel bag out from where it was shoved by her feet and tossed it over to Alison. "Suit up." She said, pulling her dark leather jacket off. Alison nodded, unzipping the bag and pulling out the redcoats and white porcelain masks and hunter knives inside.

They'd have to deal with Wren and everything else later. No matter how terrifying the thought was of either someone like that creep, likely a sexual predator Wren was and Lyndon James being near any of the girls, especially near her Spencer, she had to focus on stopping –A right now before Maya got seriously hurt.

The girls weren't completely helpless. After all they had been through, they had some ways of fighting back. Besides, Cece and Noel were watching them.

She wrapped her red coat around herself, putting the slim, white mask with the face of a creepy, smiling man on over her face, strapping two of the hunter knives to her sides, and concealing a revolver into her jacket, pushing the duffel bag to Shana and Margo as Margo came to a stop in front of the great power plant.

Shana pulled out her own red coat, frightening smiling mask, two knives and a pistol and Margo did the same.

When they were all suited up, they jumped out of the car, Margo closing and locking up the door. "You know," Alison grumbled beneath her haunting mask, "I sometimes wonder if locking anything makes a difference with people like the A-Team running around.

"Yeah," Margo said, chuckling, "I sometimes wonder that too. But better safe than completely sorry. And habits, you know?"

Alison did know, not that she felt any more than a second ago that it would make a difference. But she nodded anyway. She kept the backpack close to her, still feeling with her right hand through the fabric for Spencer's Radley file. It was still there, thankfully.

"Okay," Shana said, looking around, "This is a _big_ place. Do we have any idea where Maya might be?" Shana looked at Alison, curious. Alison tried to focus beneath the mask, thinking harder on the dream that she oddly shared with –A. There were stairs next to Maya, in front of –A. A bathroom that –A had gone into. She focused her mind, remembering. It was so vivid and real….

She recalled the humming, and something arcing upwards, with coal all over it. It had looked like some kind of conveyer belt. "There's a kind of conveyer belt and a stairwell near where –A has Maya."

Shana nodded, "Okay. Stairwell. Conveyer belt. I don't know power plants that well, but that should be the…opposite end of the smoke stacks?"

"Opposite end." Alison wondered, looking up at the pallid chutes above them and looked in the opposite direction of them. "So over there? In that building?" She asked, pointing towards a spherical building connected to the smoke stacks, chutes connected to the smoke stacks, likely pumping the toxic substance through.

"Alright." Margo huffed out, body tense, fear of who they were going to face heavy in her tone, "Let's go hopefully not get killed by –A."

"That's the spirit." Shana laughed, patting Margo's back, "Try to be more optimistic. There's three of us. And –A probably isn't armed." Again, Shana turned her horror mask covered face towards Alison in question.

Alison shook her head, not recalling feeling any weapon on –A's person or holding one or even seeing a weapon. "I don't think –A's armed. At least, I'm hoping not. But let's just not underestimate him or her. We don't know for sure."

Receiving nods from both other girls, they all turned and walked towards the building to face their nemesis.

One that...Alison knew she might very well have met once, and may very well know her better than she liked to think about.

 **Awesome1: Thank you. Yes, I really wanted to emphasize how protective they were. Because Lord knows Ali needed that. Sheesh.**

 **Antinomian: Yeah, definitely. It's one of the things that frustrates me so much about this show. Everyone points their finger at Alison, but no one is innocent on this show. No one. I'm pretty sure being a pedophile is quite a bit worse than anything Alison's done. And heck knows how many creeps actually live in Rosewood.**


	10. Maya's Rescuers-Sort of

**Sorry for the delay in updates. This one was kind of hard.**

 **Chapter 10: Maya's Rescuers-sort of:**

Feeling the threads plaster against her tongue, the bound and gagged Maya St. Germain thrashed, and struggled, staring up at the black hooded figure lurking off to the side of the room, sitting on the bottom of the stairs, face turned towards her, covered by a black featureless mask. The hooded figure had said nothing since Maya had woken up. She stared at the figure, waiting for something. A word. A threat. Even a slap across the face. Anything.

Nothing happened. The dark figure just sat there and stared. Though Maya couldn't see the figure's face at all, its head was turned towards her, watchful. It sent cold chills down her back, though it might just have been the icy temperature of the room. Was it Lyndon James? That creep from True North? She couldn't tell. She never would have thought he'd dress up like that, but one would never know. James was the first thought that came to mind. She shivered as she was watched.

The figure stood on the stairs and for the first time, Maya got a good look at the hooded person's frame. As soon as she really looked, she realized it wasn't Lyndon. The body was too narrow and small. She tried to keep her galloping, trembling nerves under control, but couldn't. It was a relief that this wasn't Lyndon. She knew that if it was him, she probably would have been killed by now. Or raped. Or both. Knowing that it wasn't Lyndon though didn't leave her with any idea about who this was or why they had taken her.

She tried to groan behind her gag, trying to ask the hooded figure what he wanted. She tried to maneuver the gag out of her mouth with her tongue, but to no avail. The gag had been tied too tightly into her mouth around her face. The figure walked down the stairs easily, not seeming to be affected at all by the frigid temperature in the room.

The figure hit the floor on both combat boot clad feet, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a phone. Black gloved fingers that had once been covered in soap before the figure wiped it off began typing something out. The hooded figure leaned down, turning to Maya as the dark haired girl tried to squirm away. The hooded figure turned the phone to Maya, showing the girl the screen.

The words on the phone read, _"Do you miss Emily, little Maya? Don't worry. You'll see her soon. You're just bait to catch a far bigger fish." –A_

Maya looked up at the black cloth covering the hooded figure's face. –A? Was that supposed to mean something? What did he mean, catching a bigger fish? She squirmed harder against the ropes, glaring at her kidnapper. She heard a feminine chuckle from the figure and the figure stood up, looking to the door and Maya followed where the figure turned his-her? head. No one had come through yet.

Maya angled her head slightly, trying to see what the hooded figure was looking at. It seemed to be nothing. Who was this person trying to bait? Maya squeezed her eyes shut. She just wanted to see her mom and dad, Tyler, Kenya, Zoe and Emily. She closed her eyes, just wanting to think about being in Emily's arms again. She just wanted to hear her sisters' and father's laughter, her brother's fierce hug, her mother's warm smile. She wanted this nightmare to end.

Her eyes flew open when she heard the rolling of tires outside and the sound of a car parking. She made muffled, urgent, "Mmm! Mmm!" Noises, moving on the floor. The hooded figure lifted its head, turned back to Maya and raised its right finger to its mask again, going "shhh." The figure turned the phone around and started typing again. As the sounds of car doors closing reached Maya's ears, the figure leaned down and showed her the writing on the screen.

" _It looks like your rescuers are here. Lucky Maya." –A_. Maya tried to gulp at the feel of the cold gaze cast over her from behind that black mask. The figure pulled the phone away, put it in their pocket and walked towards the window next to the door, a film of grime plastered over the glass. The figure pressed their right black leather covered hand against the filthy window and scraped away the dark, thick patches of dirt and grime away, looking out the window.

The hooded figure turned back to the still frightened and apprehensive Maya, walking over to her, and reaching down.

Maya thrashed around, trying to get away from the figure, but whoever it was, grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her easily up, forcing her onto her feet and dragging her towards the stairs.

The hooded figure hauled Maya up the stairs, onto the metal walkway, lined on both sides with steel railings. Maya tried to squirm, but even with the figure's slight build, they were strong enough to pull her through the walkway, unbothered by Maya's attempts at resistance.

The figure held Maya to themselves, her back to the figure's chest, and Maya's eyebrows lifted, alert suddenly to the feeling of a soft chest at her back. Breasts. This person had breasts. It was definitely a girl.

Below them, the door swung open. Three figures with red hooded coats walked through. All with white, demonic masks covering their faces. Maya looked down from where her kidnapper was holding her above on the boardwalk. The three were inside the factory, looking around the room.

They looked at each other before looking around and spreading out, keeping their gloved hands closed to their pockets, likely keeping their hands near a hidden weapon on each of their person.

Maya squirmed more in the kidnapper's hands, but couldn't move much. Even if she could, she was still gagged. However, her and the kidnapper's staying out of the red hooded figures' views didn't last long. One of them, bearing the mask of a smiling, frightening man with a backpack strapped to the figure's back had the good sense to look up, eyes landing on the walkway. And eyes then landing on Maya and her captor.

The one that saw the two of them, hit the arm of one of the other's, pointing, the other with a hawk mask, turned and saw, jumping a little before catching the last one's attention and pointing their attention to the walkway above. Immediately, all three brightly clad figures ran to the stairs. The hooded figure pulled Maya back, right arm around the black-haired girl's shoulders, turning down the walkway. The walkway rattled with the vibrations of Maya's kidnapper running with her and the three people dressed in red coats bolted up the stairs down the walkway.

It was when they were halfway to the other side of the walkway, when Maya spotted a heavy rope constructed net hanging from one of the rafters above the walkway. Running with Maya, the hooded figure pulled out a scalpel and sliced four long thin ropes holding the net up. Maya's eyes widened as she heard a metal creaking above them and saw the net descending.

As soon as all four ropes were cut, the hooded figure sheathed the scalpel back into their sleeve, maneuvering Maya enough to do it.

Two yells were heard behind them and two 'thunks' were heard as well. The hooded figure turned the corner of the walkway with Maya, and the black-haired girl saw as they swiveled that two of the red cloaked figures had been bound to the floor of the walkway by the net, but the third one, with the backpack chased fast after them, gaining on them with fierce speed.

The hooded figure must have realized that the one with the backpack was only inches from them now and let out a huff of rage, throwing Maya down hard onto the walkway. Maya let out a muffled scream as the grate of the floor grinded into her stomach, legs and arms. She barely registered the black leather shoe covered feet turning, the hooded figure now facing the encroaching crimson swathed one.

 **(Page break)**

The black hooded figure stood tall-for its build anyway, staring at Alison across the walkways. Alison breathed hard behind her mask, hands fingering the handle of her knife. She wasn't worried about Margo and Shana. They had hunter knives. They were likely cutting themselves loose now. She waited for –A to make his or her move. Her teeth clenched, waiting. Her eyes scowled darkly, challenging. It was dark and she was more than certain that –A couldn't see her glaring eyes in the dark, but she was ready. As ready as she ever was. This –A freak had better be ready too.

She smirked at him or her beneath the mask, knowing that –A couldn't see. Before Alison could move, -A reached into the black sleeve of the hoodie, producing a thin, silver, sharp scalpel. Alison stiffened for a moment, blood turning cold, though she knew she shouldn't have been surprised. –A had to have used _something_ to cut the ropes of the net with. Her blue eyes traveled to where Maya lay and then back up to –A, who was stalking closer to the bound girl, reaching down with a free hand and grabbing Maya by her dark mane, pulling Maya's head back, revealing the girl's throat. Without even really needing to think about it, Alison's hands flew to the handle of her pistol fishing it out of the holster sewed into the inside of her red coat, pulling it out and aiming the barrel at –A.

-A must have seen the pistol immediately because he or she stiffened as soon as that masked face was towards Alison. "I'm warning you," Alison darkly, voice lowering, though she had no doubt that –A knew who she was, "Step away from her now. Don't even think about using that blade, psycho." The dark figure cocked its head and Alison could almost feel the smirk underneath the black mask that –A must have had on his or her face.

Tugging on Maya tighter, picking the girl up, eliciting a pained whimper from the girl, -A threw the bound girl at Alison, startling the blonde. "What the-?" She managed out as the dark-haired girl careened with her. They both nearly crashed to the hard metal grating of the walkway. Alison gripped both the butt of the revolver and Maya's arm, steadying her as they slammed into the metal railings.

-A bolted past the two of them, running down the walkway fast. Shana and Margo ran towards them. "-A!" Margo snarled, brandishing her hunter knife, a decimated net behind the two of them. –A stopped running for only a second before they gripped the railings and swung him or herself up, right foot colliding with Margo's stabbing arm, slamming into the limb and sending the knife flying, thrusting Margo back into Shana.

Both young women let out grunts of pain as they were thrown back and –A, jumped over the railings, earning a gape from Alison, watching as –A landed on their feet, ran out the metal door fast, into the woods.

Margo and Shana, now both picking themselves from where they had fallen and after they ran to the door, checking to see where –A had gone, they turned back, walking to the stairs as Alison lifted herself from the railing and trailed down the stairs carefully, putting her gun away and helping the still bound Maya down with her. They both reached the floor and Alison pulled out her switchblade, making Maya stiffen for a second before the blonde brought the blade to Maya's bonds and cut them loose.

The ropes fell to the floor and Maya, stumbling as she now could stand fully, grabbed her gag and pulled it out of her mouth, looking at her three rescuers incredulously. She almost stumbled again as she stepped back, staring at the three porcelain faces of a scowling hawk, a grinning man and a haunted staring mask.

"Whoa now." Margo chuckled, "Don't worry."

Steadying the young woman, Margo eased Maya back as the girl eyed Margo's mask. "Oh no, seriously, nothing to worry about!" Margo insisted, pulling the porcelain mask of the hawk's face off, "We're just people. Honest." She smiled at Maya as the other girl lifted an eyebrow.

Alison chuckled behind her grinning mask at Maya's expression, hand reaching up and pulling her own off revealing her smirking, cherub face to Maya, watching as those almond shaped eyes got impossibly wider.

"Don't get too scared Maya," She chortled, "I promise I don't bite unless you piss me off."

Maya's blood drained from her face and she watched, fixated, completely lost and unable to do anything except stare. The words slowly came out of her mouth, "Alison? Alison DiLaurentis?"

"Ooh, she talks," Alison laughed a warm, bell like laugh that startled the other girl and made Margo roll her eyes, "Sorry. I'm sure after what you just went through this is probably really confusing. But yes, I do go by that name. Sometimes."

"Sometimes." Maya echoed quietly, still staring at Alison as if she was looking at a ghost and for all Alison knew, maybe Maya had told herself she was, "You're dead. Everyone in Rosewood says you're dead! They found your body."

Alison smirked, "That's what I keep hearing. The body's not mine. I don't know who was in that coffin. Because it's me," she opened her arms up, smiling, "In the flesh. And you're Maya St. Germain. Emily's girlfriend." If possible, Maya looked even more stunned.

"How did you-?" She let out, confused and Alison cocked her head, speaking playfully, "When people think you're dead, you have a lot of free time to check on who your closest friends are getting…close with."

Still not answering, Maya just closed her mouth and then opened it, trying to let more words out, but she just couldn't. Finally, Shana chuckled, pulling her mask off, "Maya, I think maybe you should come with us. Sit down for a while. You look like you're about to faint." She took a step towards the door, gesturing for Maya to follow.

Maya looked at Shana and finally processing that these were real flesh and blood people, slowly walked to the door with Shana guiding her.

Alison smiled wider, encouraged by this. However, she knew that they had to get a specific answer out of the way first. "Shana," She said, turning to the older girl, "Can you give me your phone for a second?" Shana glanced to Alison, smile turning to a frown. "Ali," She said, uncertain, "You sure now's a good time?" Alison chuckled, shaking her head as she caught Maya's confounded expression, and knew with an emotional kick in the gut that she was going to end up doing what she did best-manipulating people, "Now's a rotten, really bad time, but we have to know immediately. If Emily's in any danger…" She let her voice trail off as she saw Maya snap her head to the blonde, eyes becoming wide and frightened.

"Emily's in danger?" Maya's voice quavered as she froze in her spot.

Alison nodded, eyes narrowed, "Possibly. We don't know yet. I'll know much quicker if I can see a picture of the possible danger."

She looked at Shana in point and the other nodded, rolling her eyes and pulling out her cell phone. She turned it on and swiped through the screen till she found the picture of the young man, Nate, who claimed he was Maya's cousin and showed it to Maya. "Do you know this guy, Maya?" Shana asked, watching the other girl. The reaction was jolting and made Alison stiffen with dread. Maya stepped back, face growing pale again, mouth gaping. Visceral fear crossed those dark chocolate brown eyes.

"I'll take that as a 'yes,' then." Alison said quietly, heart pounding. She turned her head quick to Shana and Margo, staring at them in meaning. Both older girls, now with wide eyes nodded and Shana turned out the door, leading the fearful Maya out, Margo tagging behind.

"Emily's with him?" Maya almost whimpered out, looking back to Alison desperately for confirmation or denial. Alison's teeth clenched. "We'll find out when we get there," She responded, trying to keep the protective anger out of her voice, "We'll explain what's going on and who that hooded freak was later. Because this is going to get complicated to explain." As they went back into the woods, towards the car, Alison could feel the adrenaline far from waning as it once had when she and Maya began down the stairs. Here they went again. They needed to get back to Rosewood's main town. To Emily and the other girls. _Now._

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone and a piece of paper with some of her contacts. She needed to call for more people, but Noel and Cece were first. She texted Noel quickly since she knew he'd be consistently the closest physically to the girls right now. She tried to ignore the sickening feeling that crept through her at the thought of Spencer with Lyndon. She had to push that aside right now if they wanted a plan.

Her message that she sent was, _"We've got Maya. She's safe. But really, really bad news, Noel. It's him. Nate is Lyndon James. Don't let Emily or any of the girls be alone with him!"_ She hit "send" and did the same with Cece's number. After minutes of that as she walked through the path to the Honda, following Shana, Margo and the still panicked Maya, she started putting in new numbers. Between –A's group, Lyndon James and Wren, it was time to bring in reinforcements. It was time to call in Sam and Kira.

 **Well, I can safely say that this was the most clumsily written chapter ever. I'm not very good at writing action scenes.**


	11. The Newest Member of the Redcoat Team

**Chapter 11: The Newest Member of the Redcoat Team:**

The car went fast, tires burning against the road, eliciting a wretched noise. Shana and Margo were in the front seat, Shana's foot on the gas. Behind them in the backseat were Maya and Alison. Maya, a once

Maya's wide brown eyes hadn't left her once during the whole car ride. Alison rested against the backseat of the car, smiling playfully at the other girl, mask resting on her lap, revolver now in her holster, pressed against the backpack.

"You keep staring at me." She chuckled, "Is there something particular fascinating about me? I mean, besides until recently you thought I was dead?"

Maya gave a nervous smile, swallowing, "No. I mean…..I…everyone in Rosewood thinks you're dead."

"Ah," Alison laughed, sound akin to soft bells chiming, "So it _is_ because I'm supposedly a dead person. I've had a lot of close calls, but no, I'm not dead. Not yet, anyway. You had a pretty close call too. Good thing –A's such an imbecile when it comes to taking us down."

"-A," Maya repeated, shaking her head as she comprehended this, "the girl with the hoodie."

Alison cocked her head as she heard that, not sure if she had heard that right. "Girl?" She parroted, eyebrows lifted. "The person with a hoodie," Maya recounted, glancing at Shana and Margo in the front seat, driving, "I heard a laugh that sounded like a girl's. And when "–A" was holding me, I felt breasts against my back."

Alison stared, eyebrows narrowed and turned to look at the others. Shana slowly turned her head back to Alison. Her eyes were wide. Well, that piece of information was huge. Alison recalled the intense vibration that ran up her legs when –A jumped off the walkway and landed on the floor. She felt what –A felt. That was the person she was connected to. And it was a girl.

"-A," Maya said, holding her head back and processing everything, "Tell me more about this." Alison smiled, carefully choosing her words. They didn't have a _lot_ of time, and she hadn't been able to tell Maya much about –A besides, "creep that stalks Emily and the other girls and has been making their lives miserable because they know everything about them."

She'd have to give all the information vital.

"Firstly," Alison began, smile turning sad, "Let's establish that I used to be a horrible person." "Hey, no-" Margo protested. "Ali!" Shana said, a no nonsense tone in her voice.

Alison didn't even look at them as she spoke, "I _was_ , okay? I was. I was an awful person and a lot of people have reasons in Rosewood to hate me. This –A? Whoever it is, is using people that hate me, Emily and the other girls to hurt them. They've been tormenting them for nearly a year now."

Maya listened, pressing her lips together. Alison chose to continue, "You probably saw them acting kind of funny during that time. Remember when Hanna was in the hospital? The car? That was –A. Mona Vanderwaal, the first person who I _thought_ was the leader of this group, was the one that hit her. And that time Emily was in the hospital because of ulcers? Or when they ended up having to do community service? Ian Thomas's body disappearing from the church after the girls said that his body was in there? That was all –A."

She watched as Maya took all this in. Maya's eyebrows narrowed and she swallowed a breath as she asked, eyes darkening in anger that surprised Alison a little, "-A did all that to Emily?" Alison nodded, knowing honesty was extremely important, and there really wasn't anything else that Maya needed to have kept from her. The truth was right there and all the dark-skinned girl needed to want to stop –A.

"I don't know who the person was that abducted you." Alison offered, biting her lip in irritation, "But I do know that whoever they are, has a lot of authority in the group. None of the others would have been trusted with something like kidnapping Emily's girlfriend." Alison took another breath as she prepared more information, "What I _can_ tell you is who we know for sure is on the A-Team. Mona Vanderwaal. Whose locked up in Radley, but she has figured out how to get out on her own, without detection." She watched as Maya's eyes widened again at that. She continued, "Another is Lucas Gottesman. He doesn't look very threatening, but he's a complete creep. He likes cameras and stalks people with the rest. You've likely seen him before in the school. Another is Melissa Hastings. Spencer's older sister."

Maya's mouth dropped. "That close?" She asked, stunned, "Do they not know? How's that possible? How could Spencer not know her own sister is the enemy?" Alison smirked. Boy, this girl had questions. Then again, who could blame her?

"Spencer is a brilliant individual. She has an amazing mind," Alison's appraising words flew from her mouth before she could really think about it, heart swelling at the thought of the brainiac, "She is smarter than anyone I've ever met. But she's human, like everyone else. She might already suspect that her older sister is part of this group, but just doesn't want to accept it. It doesn't help that I suspect that Melissa is a freaking sociopath. This leads me to another A-Team member. Her boyfriend, _Toby_ Cavanaugh." Alison found the disgust and fury nearly boiling in her voice, making Maya stiffen in her seat.

Alison kept speaking, rage dominant in her mind as she thought of the boy she once believed a good match for the only girl she ever could love, "Toby Cavanaugh, I know you've heard of him. People once thought he was guilty of my murder or of the murder of whoever was in my coffin. That was not true, but he is not to be trusted. He is part of this group that is working to destroy the girls' lives."

She added at Maya's horrified look, "Emily trusted Toby too. He betrayed her on top of everything else."

The confusion all over Maya's face slowly turned to apprehension, then to anger. Alison tried not to smile. Finally, an appropriate reaction. She continued, "That cop that you've seen around Emily before, Darren Wilden, he's part of the A-Team too. So is Jenna Marshall or Jenna Cavanaugh. Toby's stepsister. She was once blind, but isn't anymore. Those are the six we know of for sure. But there might be others that we don't know about. They know about all the girls secrets. And the secrets that the girls' families are keeping. Their cameras could be anywhere."

Maya was hearing all of this and her full lips parted as she absorbed it. She swallowed, "Emily's in danger?" She assessed, meeting Alison deep blue eyes. Alison nodded, "Yeah. When it's not from this Lyndon James creep, it's from the "A" gang. This was one of the reasons why I was hoping that you'd help us. I want to get rid of Lyndon James. I want you and Emily both to be safe. And I'm hoping that you'll join our group," Alison allowed the plea to leak into her voice as she looked into Maya's eyes, "The more someone on Emily and the girls' side knows, the more likely they'll be able to protect Emily and the other girls. So please?"

She watched the emotion across Maya's face. The black-haired girl was uncertain and shocked at first, before she looked at Shana and Margo and then back at Alison. Specifically at what they were wearing. "Be one of you?" She said, spelling it out, "Be a "Redcoat?""

Alison nodded, smile forming. "You wouldn't have to wear too creepy a mask, promise." She smirked, holding up her porcelain grinning man's face, "Just something that covers your face so the A-Team can't figure out who you are."

Maya closed her mouth and bit her lower lip, her eyes narrowed in thought. "These people," She finally started, "Hate you enough to dig up the body that they think is yours? And torment your friends just for being your friends?"

Alison nodded, stomach turning, "Yeah." After a few moments of silence, Maya asked, eyeing Alison, "And yet you're risking your life for Emily and the others?"

Alison smiled, "Yeah. I'd do anything for them." She added, tone turning dark, "Emily was used in digging up the body mistaken to be mine. She was drugged by these people." She saw the shock reach Maya's face, her eyes going huge. Alison smiled grimly, "I reached a point when I realized that I didn't care about what happened to me. All that mattered to me was that Emily, Hanna, Aria and Spencer were happy and safe. If I had to risk myself over and over again, so be it. I learned that running away didn't do any good. It just meant that the four people I loved would grieve and be put at risk. I won't stand back and do nothing while they're drugged and attacked." She shifted closer to Maya and said, still keeping her eyes locked with the other girl, "Running away won't save you. Or Emily. Emily needs your help right now, Maya. Please."

Maya looked down at her lap and then up again, dark gaze hardening. "Alright," She said, nodding, "What do I have to do?"

Alison grinned wide. "That a girl. First order of business; get rid of James. By any means."

Maya nodded, eyes hopeful, "Go to the police, right?"

Alison's grin fell. That hadn't quite been what she meant. Shana's dark chuckle reached the backseat, "You haven't met Rosewood police, have you, Maya?"

Maya looked at the smirking Shana before asking in a confused voice, "Why? I've met Garrett. I found out later about him being arrested for your murder," She looked at Alison, "Or, whoever that was that was buried. But I thought he was cleared and released?"

"He was," Alison said, trying not to chuckle at the ridiculousness of trusting the police of Rosewood was, "But he might not have been guilty of anyone's deaths, but he had committed other crimes too," Alison scowled as she thought of Garrett's hands on her years ago, "Child molestation for one," she watched as the horror returned to Maya's eyes, "having his own stash of underage porn is another." She could see the blood draining from Maya's face and see the beginnings of disgust. She let out a grim laugh as she continued, "But he's dead, so he's no longer an issue. And Garrett's far from the only dirty cop in that town. Darren Wilden, as I said, is a cop. He's bad news. He's part of the A-Team and into young girls too. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he was guilty of more than just what I told you. Rosewood cops are worthless."

Maya swallowed, visibly shaken. She shivered and looked at Alison, carefully asking, "Then what do we do? Who do we go to?"

Alison clamped her mouth shut. Damn. She'd hope that this would be easier to say. Well, asking someone to be a vigilante couldn't exactly be the easiest thing to do, could it? This was probably why Daredevil, Superman and Spiderman worked alone. "We don't go to anyone," She finally said, straightening her back as the conviction in her voice was firm and unwavering, "We're the solution. If Lyndon James comes at Emily, we stop him. By any means necessary."

Maya's mouth dropped open and she leaned back away from the blonde as it truly dawned on the young girl what Alison was saying. "Including killing him?" She asked, not quite believing what she was hearing.

"If necessary." Alison finished, shrugging, "That wouldn't be my first choice, no matter how tempting, but if there's no other choice."

Maya winced, still not recovering from her shock. She took several deep breaths and started trying to rationalize this, "If we can't bring this to the police, if they would just let Lyndon go, is there a way we can do this without killing him?"

Alison sucked in a breath, shrugging, "Injuring him? Hurting his legs enough so he can't run after anyone maybe?" These were still violent options, but probably better than actually killing the man-though honestly, Alison wouldn't have a lot of qualms with that.

"I guess…" Maya however didn't sound convinced. She was still looking at Alison like she was an alien. Alison shook her head. She didn't want to encourage someone else to do something illegal. But the police couldn't be trusted. At least, not with –A matters. Perhaps with things like an average stalker, like Lyndon James, they might be more susceptible.

"Alright," Alison offered, "Since I don't think –A or the police would care about Lyndon, do you want to go the police first? Killing or injuring him would be the extreme option. But the problem is that –A knows about you. –A abducted you so she or whatever clearly cares about your tie to Emily. I don't know if the A-Team will interfere with the police and any statement you give about Lyndon."

Alison hated the frightened look in Maya's dark eyes, but this all had to be said. The police of Rosewood could not be trusted. The sooner people knew that the better. She nodded, mostly to herself than meant for anyone else in the car. Nevertheless, she was not going to force her opinions on other people to get them to do what she wanted. She wasn't going to do that anymore. She swore it.

"But if you want to go to the cops," She said gently to Maya, hoping the dark-haired girl understood that there was no deception here, "I won't blame you. All I must ask is that you don't tell them that I'm still alive. Don't tell them that I was the one that rescued you. And I also want to warn you, -A really doesn't like being talked about. I won't stop you if you want to report your abduction to the police," She smiled, "I won't blame you if you mention –A kidnapping you at all. But I want you to know-you _should_ know, that when Emily and the other girls have mentioned or tried to mention –A in the past, -A has lashed out, hurt them before. You should know that so that you don't go into the police station blind. Just know what you're dealing with."

Maya absorbed everything, mouth dropping. Alison felt guilt lance through her. Poor girl. She had been sent to a camp against her will just for smoking weed, had been running from a stalker for months now, had just been kidnapped and now was being told that the psychopath that kidnapped her controlled a great deal of the town and a portion of that town, possibly including the police who couldn't be trusted. She could just imagine how trapped Maya must have felt right now.

The other girl nodded, breathing out as Alison could see the cogs turning in Maya's mind. "If I join you," Maya began, locking eyes with those of the girl she once thought was deceased, "Will Emily be safer? Will we be able to stop –A's group and Lyndon?" Alison tried not to give a cynical laugh. How naïve Maya's question sounded. The world was far from black and white. Nothing was certain.

"I really don't know," Alison chuckled sadly, "I'm not a psychic." She neglected to mention that even psychics like little Jack didn't always have very clear visions-that would just leave a whole new barrel of weird stuff for Maya to absorb. Not to mention, she didn't even need to start telling Maya just yet that she and the leader of the A-Team, -A herself it seemed were connected. No, she didn't need to know _that_ particular bombshell just yet. "But I do know that with your help, there will be more people fighting –A." She carried on, pushing thoughts of her connection with that psycho out of her mind, "And Lyndon. It's up to you. If not, we'll just deal with Lyndon and then will drop you off at your family's place and I won't bother you again."

She nodded to Maya, smiling, awaiting the other girl's answer, hoping Maya understood that there was no pressure.

Maya thought about this and her eyes finally hardened, making Alison's eyes widen for a moment before she smirked, realizing with a familiar jolt of dark satisfaction what Maya's decision was. Maya nodded, a defiant smile of her own coming onto her beautiful face. "So," She started, "What do we do now?"

Alison felt her head rise triumphantly, and only realized it a second later as she tried to reel in her smug pride. None of that now. Arrogance; not a good thing, she reminded herself. Damn, she still had to work on that arrogance.

She just chuckled, "Well, first thing's first. If you want to go to the police about Lyndon, go ahead. I wouldn't expect you not to. And it might protect Emily and the other girls sooner. But don't mention me or any of us." She nodded to Shana and Margo at the front seat. "After you've given your statement," She continued, looking at Maya firmly, wanting the other to understand that she would have protection, "You can stay with us and contact your family and tell them your staying with people that are protecting you."

She added, eyes determined, "We'll protect you. Emily and the other girls too. I promise."

Maya nodded, no words coming out till she smiled again. "Okay," She said, smirking, "Do I _have_ to wear those gaudy redcoats?" Alison laughed and Shana's laugh joined hers. "Only if you want to." Alison assured the other girl, "Though it would be a good idea if you kept your face hidden from the –A Team. So, shall we drop you off at the police station and we'll take it from there?"

Maya nodded. "Okay," Alison said, reaching for the duffel bag at her feet and pulled out another packaged throwaway phone, ripping it out of the casing and handing it to Maya, "This is your throwaway phone. They're safer than our regular phones because –A tracks and hacks regular phones more easily than temporary ones. I'll text you my throwaway phone's number. And I'll let Noel know that he should pick you up later." Maya lifted her eyebrows at that.

"Noel?" Maya echoed, "Noel Kahn? He…you know him? He tried to protect me." Alison smiled warmly, or at least in a way that she hoped was warm, "Yeah. Noel. He's part of our group. He's a really good guy. A bit of a dope sometimes, but he's a great guy. Don't tell the police that he's part of our group. But it's perfectly fine to mention that he was trying to protect you from Lyndon James. That part's not vital to keep secret. And the less secrets the better."

Alison never thought she'd hear those words leave her mouth, but considering the circumstances, she knew she'd be nuts if they didn't. The unsurprising reaction came with Shana's laugh, "Alison doesn't want to keep secrets. Well, now I know we're screwed. Hell has finally frozen over."

Alison chortled, smiling in appreciation at Shana's humor. At least one of them could see the hilarity in her words.

"Alright," Maya said, gauging all of this, humor starting to emerge in her eyes too, taking the throwaway phone from the blonde, "I'll join. I won't say a word to the cops about the rest of you. But I'll tell them that I was staying with Noel. To hide from James." Alison nodded, wary of this careful situation that she was maneuvering; the tightrope she and the others had to walk between what was necessary and what was morally right.

"Thank you," Alison said, "But I will warn you, mention me or the others," She nodded to Shana and Margo, "And we won't be safe. And that will make Emily less safe than she already is." She didn't like saying something that bordered on a threat, not to her newest ally, but still, Maya needed to know what was what. She needed to know about this dangerous game and the complicated board –A had lain out for everyone. But Maya seemed to understand much more than Alison had expected. She smiled and said, "I think I can get behind this. I'm much better at being subtle and being in the shadows than in the spotlight. The less attention I get, I'll feel more comfortable."

Alison felt another grin emerge on her face. That was right. Maya might have been more open about her sexuality than Emily had been years ago, but she wasn't a very loud, vocal or showy person. Maybe she had just picked the perfect candidate for their team.

Alison looked Maya in the eye, her grin widening at the intrigue and newborn courage she found there, "I need to face my fears, Maya," She began, "As I said…I wasn't a very good person once. I'm sure you've heard the stories. Part of the reason why I haven't come back is because I'm ashamed of how I treated people. I need to face that, I know that. That's why I can identify. I'll help you face your fears-face Lyndon. So if anything goes wrong with the police, know that I'll stop him."

She let Maya watch her, observe her face and eyes to make sure the dark-haired girl understood that Alison was telling the truth. Alison wasn't lying. Not this time. She meant to keep her promise. If there was one thing that would give Alison incentive to keep this promise it was for a personal reason. This man wasn't just a threat to Maya. He was a threat to Emily and the girls. And a threat to any girl he thought _"owed"_ him just because he valued his entitlement over their lives.

Maya felt a grin tug at her lips, suddenly feeling safer than she had felt in a long time. She wasn't sure why, but there was something about Alison that she trusted. Yes, she _had_ heard stories about Alison DiLaurentis. But a part of her couldn't believe that this was the same girl as the girl in those stories. There was just something in the way Alison said her promise, the blonde's posture, her firmness and calculation-Maya felt something overwhelm her. Not even when Noel promised her safety at his cabin, did she feel as grateful.

She breathed out, feeling her hands clench around the throwaway phone, "Thank you. Thanks, Alison." The blonde grinned, "No problem." She turned and looked at Shana, "Shana, can you stop by the police station? We'll drop Maya off and she can warn them about Lyndon. And we'll keep the car hidden from the police." She added, thinking about Noel mentioning going to Ravenswood, "And could you watch Maya for a while at Noel's cabin? Noel said he's going to visit some of the others." Shana nodded, not mentioning a word of "the others" in front of Maya. They wanted to trust her, sure. But could they be certain, just yet?

"Will do, baby girl." Shana nodded, turning a corner, leading to the road where the station would eventually be on. Alison turned back to Maya, texting to the other girl, "I'm sending you both this phone's number and Emily's number. You can call her and warn her about Lyndon."

"Great." Maya said, feeling elation surge through her. For once in a long time, since she realized what kind of fixation Lyndon had on her at True North, she felt safe, like finally there was an end to her stalking in sight. Even if this –A and their group were still out there, at least Lyndon James, who had vocally threatened to kill her if she didn't love him would be gone soon.

 **Next chapter, be prepared for angsty Alison when she sees Spencer. Not to mention Alison and Maya friendship in future chapters.**


	12. Absence makes the Heart get Shattered

**Trigger warning for mentions of drug abuse and possible childhood sexual abuse.**

 **Chapter 12: Absence makes the Heart get Ripped in Two:**

The blue Honda circled around and slid in front of the station. The night obscured the car's color and the inhabitants from sight and hopefully from cameras. Alison looked at Maya as she spoke, "Remember, be careful of Wilden. And don't mention I'm alive or the Redcoats. We'll be right nearby if anything happens. We're going to check on Emily now and see if Lyndon's growing more aggressive. And we'll be right in touch in case anything happens, alright?" Alison looked at Shana and Margo for confirmation. Shana spoke up, "I need to make sure the costume store's in order tomorrow morning so no one gets suspicious. But I'll be right out here if anything goes wrong."

Margo nodded as well. "Yep. Same. After Shana goes, I'll take the wheel and drive back to the police station. I'll wait for you, Maya and drop you off at your place. I'm sure you miss your family." Maya's head perked up immediately when she heard that, a smile forming on her face. The thought of seeing her family again after what happened made her feel a lot safer. "Okay." She said happily, "That would be great. Thanks."

"Ali," Shana said gently, "I'll let Maya off here and then I'll let you off, you know." Shana nodded to Alison by the rear-view mirror and Alison nodded back, knowing that neither Shana or Margo trusted Maya yet. She felt bad for helping keeping things from Maya but she could see the other girls' point. She had told Maya the basics-who exactly was part of the A-Team and who the "good guys" were. But letting Maya know where Alison went and hid on Rosewood might be a little too much information. She knew that Shana and Margo already were cautious over the fact that while they were outside the factory, Alison requested they take their masks off so as not to spook Maya.

But Alison had wanted to do this the right way. Not intimidate Maya and make her cautious. If she wanted to change-wanted things to be right, they had to start trusting people.

" _But you can't trust anyone, Ali."_

Alison stiffened and whirled around, scanning the car and the back window, to each side window, stunned by what she just heard. Or thought she heard. "Ali?" Shana asked, "What is it?" "I…," Alison began, confused as she still looked around the car, seeing the other three occupants' concerned looks, "Did any of you say anything just now?" All three Shana, Maya and Margo shook their heads. "Are you alright?" Maya asked, lifting an eyebrow. "I'm fine…" Alison lied, a shard of guilt lodged in her stomach at finally lying flat out to someone she intended to trust, but how could she say that she thought she heard a girl's voice say something when no one in the car had spoken?

"Shana, could you let Maya off here?" Alison asked her friend and Shana nodded. Alison didn't have to see Shana's eyes in the mirror to know that her friend and sister was very worried about her. As they pulled up, Maya opened the door and looked back at them curiously. Despite what she just heard, Alison tried to appear optimistic at least, "Maya," She said, leaning out of her seat and looking up at the dark-haired girl, "Don't worry about it. We'll be in touch and nearby. And remember, be very careful of Darren Wilden when you see him and find out his name. Be very careful. And look out for the others too." Maya nodded, apprehension on her face, but still clearly going in determined. Alison smiled, unable to keep back the admiration she felt for the girl. "I promise you." She said, eyes locking with Maya's dark ones, "We won't let Lyndon get you. Go to the police and see what happens. And keep that phone close."

Maya nodded, smiling. "Thanks." She said and Alison could tell that the other girl meant her gratitude a thousand times over. Alison nodded and shut the door as she watched Maya turn and walk up the steps to the station. Shana started driving. As soon as they were blocks from the station, Alison heard Shana's concerned question, "Okay, Ali, what just happened?"

Alison sighed, looking at the two older girls in the front seats. Well, what else could she say except the truth, because honestly, she had no clue what happened. "I really don't know." She admitted, ignoring the impulse to lie-that it would be safer to lie, "I thought I heard something. Obviously I didn't." "What did you think you heard?" Margo asked, turning and glancing at her sister. Alison swallowed. _Now_ she was really tempted to lie. How exactly did you say that you thought you heard a voice that you really didn't hear without sounding crazy? "I'd rather not say." She just answered, looking straight at Margo's eyes and glancing at Shana's eyes in the mirror. It wasn't a lie, certainly, but it wasn't admitting to something fairly spooky, not to mention disturbing when it came to her possible sanity.

As she looked out the window, she felt two pairs of eyes fixed on her, soon turning into one pair as Shana had to keep her eyes on the road. They were going to let this go, for now. But she knew there would be questions later. Questions she personally was afraid of. It was bad enough knowing that she was connected to a psychopath. Now she was hearing voices. She glanced at her backpack, holding Spencer's Radley file. And then there was that. The big white elephant in the car, at her back that only she seemed to be aware of but was terrified of talking about.

"So," Margo spoke up and Alison could tell how much the older girl was trying to hide her nervousness, "Should we drop you off at Hanna's house or Emily's?" Alison smiled, appreciatively. Occasionally, she checked on the girls to see how they were-besides the whole –A thing. Check on their home lives and their studies. Call it stalkerish and obsessive; Alison _knew_ it was, but it brought her relief to check and see if they were okay every now and then. "Spencer's, thanks, you two." Both Shana and Margo nodded.

As they turned the corner and closed in on the Hastings property, Alison got her coat readied. No matter how much she wanted to see Spencer, she couldn't risk anyone seeing her own face.

Gearing up as the car slid past the Hastings house; they couldn't risk anyone, including the A-Team seeing someone with a Redcoat coming out of the car and sneaking around the neighborhood, Alison watched as they circled the area, and they drove till they were next to the Morgan house. Their backyard was almost completely obscured by woods. "Here." Alison confirmed as she had her mask on. Shana parked and Alison opened the door. "Ali," Shana said as both she and Margo looked at her worriedly, "Please be careful." Alison looked back at them and nodded. Though she had her mask on, she was sure they knew she was smiling as she jumped out, closed the door quickly and bolted through the various backyards till she reached the Hastings's backyard. Cloaked in blood red, face covered with the ghostly white mask, and her hair hidden underneath the coat, not to mention wearing boots that were completely unlike her once well known high heels, she suspected that no one, save for people who understood that almost nothing was what it seemed, might jump to the conclusion that it was Alison DiLaurentis under the hood.

In the pitch night, Alison scoped out the ghoulish looking trees and bent branches, twisting like snakes close to the garden floor. Alison wondered how many A-Team members were out here, if any at all. Maybe some of them were feeling lazy tonight. A bunch of them _were_ high school students after all. Then again, considering they had decided that they had nothing better to do than terrorize girls that were just friends with the one that made their lives miserable, she could safely assume that they had no lives.

Alison looked up at the window where Spencer stood, pacing back and forth, book in her hands open as she read. Alison felt hard, painful fingers stretch out through her body. She almost whimpered at the sight of Spencer up there, hard at work like she always was. Alison sighed. She really hoped the other girl was getting sleep and eating.

She walked to the tree bent over the house's roof, beginning to climb it. She balanced her feet against two different boughs and heaved herself up the tree, grabbing a low branch and struggling up, till she sat down on a long, higher branch, just in front of Spencer's window, a canopy of leaves blocking her from Spencer's view as she looked in on the brunette. The pacing young woman eventually sat down at her computer, typing fast. After three minutes, Spencer was still worked over the computer, concentrating. Alison smiled, glad to see at least some things never changed. That thought gave her pause. Her mind wandered to the file in her backpack that she still hadn't torn from her person. The pills. The ones she had found with Spencer that night when her mother had almost buried her alive, or when she found Spencer sleeping on the couch that night. A cold tightness took hold of her stomach.

Her Spencer…was she high? She remembered that Summer when she had found Spencer in the dark, on the Hastings' house porch, dark circles under the girl's eyes, how completely…dead Spencer had looked. Like a different person. Like someone Alison just couldn't recognize. Alison swallowed as she thought about it, looking in on Spencer, heart hurting just seeing the brunette there. Spencer was so close. So close. Spencer lifted herself off the chair and went to her bed, picking up her science textbook and dropping down on her back on the bed, reading. Alison sighed as she watched this. So close, and Alison knew she couldn't reach out and touch the other girl, no matter how much she wanted to. Alison reached a gloved hand out and pressed it against the glass, inches from Spencer's face obscured by the book. At that moment, Alison didn't care how much like –A she was probably acting. She didn't care. She felt her heart slam against her chest. Seeing Spencer this close kept her frozen in the tree. She knew looking at Spencer this close was a risk. She couldn't move. She smiled behind her mask, feeling like the heart she had once been sure she didn't have felt like it was going to crack or explode at any given moment.

She squinted her eyes at Spencer. The brunette was acting normally. She didn't _look_ high. At least she really hoped the brunette wasn't.

It had hurt. It had hurt when she learned that Spencer and Toby had slept together. It had hurt severely. But at the time, given what she knew about Toby, that he was innocent, a victim of Jenna, and regrettably, of herself as well, like Spencer was of –A, and that Toby seemed like a descent person, she accepted it. Was even happy about it. No matter how much Alison felt like Spencer could have aimed higher, found someone more suitable for her brilliance, someone as unique as the brainiac was, as long as Toby made Spencer happy, valued the girl's intelligence and strength, then how could she feel any resentment?

Accepting the relationship, and happy for Spencer…and surprisingly enough, happy for _Toby_ too, she had praised their relationship to Noel and Cece, assuring her brother and sister that she was sure Toby was harmless to Spencer.

And then she heard what Shana, Cece and Noel had learned from Lucas Gottesman on the train.

Now it seemed the bloodlust for Toby was back in full. Toby had done nothing while Spencer had been attacked by the –A-Team creep dressed as the Queen of Hearts. He was now nothing but prey to Alison. Another target on the long –A list.

But what Alison knew she couldn't forgive, as she looked at Spencer, writing something down, was knowing that when Spencer found out, it would devastate the brainiac. She ground her teeth together. Toby would hurt Spencer, she knew. And she was going to kill him for it. She finally tore herself away from the window, backing up along the branch she was on and thought about what they could do. Spencer needed to know the danger she was in around Toby. But how? What proof did they have that Toby was working for –A? Would Spencer even believe it if she and the others found any?

Her mind traveled back against her will to what Noel had told her had happened on the train. Someone dressed as the Queen of Hearts had almost thrown Spencer from the train. She could feel a cold sweat breaking out all over her skin at the thought. There had been two people dressed as the Queen of Hearts. Cece, and whoever had attacked Spencer.

Alison shivered, anger roiling. Whoever it was, Toby, Mona or whoever had attacked Spencer, they were going to pay. She thought of Noel telling her that Paige McCullers had saved Spencer. According to Noel he had seen Spencer running from the end of the train with the Queen of Hearts person after her and just when he had been about to jump in, McCullers had interfered. Alison felt conflict stir in her mind. She wanted to hate Paige for dunking Emily underwater. At any mention of any harm against the girls, she could feel the burning impulse to lash out, but knowing that the same person that had attacked Emily was the person that had saved Spencer on the train made her feel torn. As much as a part of her wanted to stay angry at Paige, even though she knew she had no right considering her history with the redhead, she felt utter gratitude, almost tearful gratitude that Paige had been there when Spencer had been attacked.

She stared at the brunette, still looking at her notes and began climbing down at the tree, sight of Spencer, of her darling, the stab of pain in her entire being at having to hide her existence from the other girl strengthened. Even if –A and their minions weren't around, could she really show herself to Spencer? Could Spencer really forgive her for everything Alison had done? Alison smiled a watery smile as she thought of all the pain she had put her Spencer and the other girls through. She had given such a big, brave claim to Maya about not running away, but was she really one to talk? She couldn't even face herself and face the girls after everything.

She was reminded again of the burden in her backpack. Her left hand fingered the left strap of the bag. If Spencer had been in Radley, wouldn't she remember? How could she not remember being in some place like Radley? She bit her lower lip. Had Spencer been on drugs? Was that why Spencer had been sent there and why she couldn't remember it? Alison shivered; she really hoped that that was the reason. And what of Wren Kingston? What had he done to her there? Alison felt her rage come back in full force; her blood boiling till she suspected a blood vessel might burst. He had been alone with her when she was only eight and he was a teenager. If he hurt her…if he….molested her in that place…

Alison snapped her head away from looking at Spencer, glaring down at the grassy ground, gripping the branches, feeling the bile swim up again. She couldn't….no, she couldn't bear that thought. She couldn't. Her teeth ground together as she glanced back up at Spencer after she steadied herself, sure that she wasn't going to get sick just yet. She knew one thing for sure. She resigned herself to this knowledge, grim faced beneath her already frightening mask; she was going to kill Wren Kingston one day. One day, she was going to have his blood on her hands, just like she would have Toby's and Mona's.

She accepted that she had to change, but what Toby, Mona and Wren had done was unforgiveable. They were her prey now.

She was torn from her brutal thoughts when a vibration jolted on the side of her leg. It was from one of her throwaway phones. What a relief.

She pulled the phone out and checked her text, keeping it close to her so that if there _was_ indeed anyone watching, they couldn't see her text. It was from Cece. She smiled a real smile, warmth flooding her.

" _Come to the meadow by Noel's cabin in half an hour. We need to talk. About Lyndon and a bunch of other things, babe."_

Alison nodded, quickly checking the time on the phone and deleting the text. It might be jumping to conclusions, but they couldn't risk any of their texts being seen by anyone outside of the group.

She took one last yearning look at Spencer before sliding down the tree and jumping onto the grass, looking around cautiously for any black hooded figures. In the night, they could blend in, but she would see them. She knew what to look for. She started running, occasionally looking back at the Hastings house.

She thought to herself sadly before she tore off into the woods towards the school, _I love you, Spencer. I always will. Please be safe._

 **(Page break)**

Alison slipped through the corridor of trees, taking note happily of the unlikely places where there probably weren't any cameras or recording devices. In the dark, standing between two large rocks, just besides the start of the meadow, smiling playfully was someone that Alison loved. Someone Alison adored the most only after Spencer. "Well look who it is." Cece chuckled, opening her arms up, smiling as Alison pulled her hood and mask off and walked into her older sister's embrace, soon wrapped in a warm, strong hug.

Alison wasn't threatened by the two of them being here. It was incredibly unlikely that any cameras or bugs had been left in any part of the woods out here. And if someone really was sneaking up on them, Noel's cameras would see them.

As they parted, Cece, ran her fingers through strands of Alison's mane, spilling out from the red cowl. "I have some bad news, sweetie," Cece began, voice tentative to Alison's surprise, "Mona's been released from Radley." Alison stiffened when she heard that, eyes feeling that cold feeling creep into her stomach again. Cece added, "They think that she just needs to be medicated. They don't realize how dangerous she actually is. I don't think they even know that she hit Hanna with that car. Everyone is so clueless with that psycho. They just think she's sick. This whole thing is sick." Cece clenched her teeth, eyes narrowed in fury. "You were a bully when you were what? Eleven to fourteen? Mona did the same. She's been a bully to other girls too. And she almost killed people. You only killed to protect Spencer!" Cece's eyes were narrowed in fury and Alison kept a sigh from escaping at how upset Cece was. In Cece's eyes of course, Alison could do no wrong. In fact, the more wrong Alison did, the more Cece adored the younger. Cece loved Alison as an individual and was disgusted when others couldn't appreciate the younger woman for exactly that.

"It can't be helped." Alison said, trying to keep the anger out of her breath, but failing, "It's hard to tell who's a bigger threat in this town, the psychos and pedophiles or the morons that turn the other way and don't realize how big a threat they are. Well, Vandernut is getting out soon. So we need to watch her and anything that happens around her."

Cece snorted, "I'll say. And you said that Nate is really Lyndon James?" Alison nodded, face grim. "Yeah. We showed Maya a picture of him. She freaked out. It's him." Cece sighed, "I think we need help." "Yeah, I figured that much," Alison said, getting up on one of the rocks jutting out of the side of the meadow, through the grass, sitting on the middle of it, feet perched on a smaller rock, "I contacted Sam and Kira. They should be coming soon." Cece's eyes widened. "Sam and Kira?" Cece repeated, smiling, "Okay, I suggested backup. Not overkill."

Alison tried not to laugh. To be honest, it might have been overkill, but it might just be what they needed. "I thought bringing in Natalie would have been overkill? But at least Kira will be efficient." Cece tilted her head, grinning, "You mean sadistic, don't you?" Alison shrugged, this time letting loose a soft laugh, "Okay, maybe sadistic. But if it hurts the A-Team, then I'm good with it." Cece smiled, walking over behind Alison and resting her head on her sister's shoulder, hugging the younger around the smaller's arms and waist. "So we're bringing in the big guns. I'm okay with this. It'll be good having them here. So, Maya was rescued?"

Alison nodded, leaning back against the older woman. "She decided to join us. After I told her what's at stake. I told her what –A did to Emily and the others. She reacted the way I was hoping she would. She's on our side. And she's dealing with the fact that I'm alive."

She felt Cece stiffen, her arms not moving and Alison realized she should have watched what she said. "You showed her your face?" Cece asked, voice nervous. She pulled her arms from around Alison and turned Alison around to face her, feet being pulled from the smaller rock. "Ali, did you show Maya your face?" Alison swallowed, shoulders sagging. "We needed to get her to trust us. She wasn't going to trust us if she only saw masks of creepy animals and people."

Cece smiled slightly. "Maybe, but it was a huge risk to show your face. We don't know if we can trust her yet. I want to say that we can, but we don't know that yet."

Alison felt annoyance lift in her, but restrained it. It was understandable. Cece was just being protective, as usual. And in her defense, Maya was a complete stranger. They only knew the basics about her and that she had been in a relationship with Emily, and that was about it. There wasn't much else they knew. But they needed more allies. And the closer allies they had to the girls, the better.

"As long as she looks out for the girls and reports back to us," Alison said, determined, "that's all that matters. We'll try to make sure she hasn't ratted us out to –A. But I don't think she would. Not if it endangered Emily. Now, Lyndon James, tell me whatever you can about him so far."

Cece looked hesitant, knowing that Alison wouldn't like the answer she was given. "He's tried to get into a relationship with Emily, in fact, I think they kissed once." Alison almost fell of the rock, eyes widening. "Wait," She said, laughter in her voice as she lifted an eyebrow, though she probably should have been more disturbed by the fact that a creepy stalker was taking a romantic interest in Emily, "I thought Emily was-"

"Yeah, I thought so too." Cece shrugged, "I guess she just wanted a connection to Maya or something. Who knows? Anyway, Nate or Lyndon, or whatever, tried to continue it with Emily but she refused him and he started talking nasty to her. I think his true colors showed there. So I think he might turn aggressive at any point."

Alison felt her teeth grind. If Lyndon hurt any of the girls, he was dead meat. "Maya is at the station." She began carefully, her voice turning cold, "The police should know about him by now. If not, I guess we'll have our answer about what happens with him." Her voice turned dark as she narrowed her eyes, " _And_ with Maya." Cece smiled mischievously. Alison could be terrifying to pretty anyone else who saw the blonde like this, but never to Cece. She reached to Alison's hand and squeezed it gently. Her curious eyes then fell to the backpack that Alison was still wearing. She recalled Noel telling her about it the last time she had seen him.

"That backpack." She said quietly, leaning in and whispering to Alison in case the backpack was carrying anything important, "What's in it? Noel says you're really attached to it. He said that you gave him a file on Wren Kingston-showing that he was insane. But you still have the backpack on."

As soon as Alison stiffened and pulled away, eyes hardening for a second before the younger looked away, Cece knew immediately that whatever was in that backpack was indeed important and Alison was afraid of anyone finding out what it was. Cece sucked in a breath and nodded, accepting. "Alright." She said, "I won't ask about it. You can tell me, when you're ready. But right now, how about you tell me what you were doing in Radley and if you were planning on telling me if I hadn't heard it from Noel?"

Alison glanced at Cece who was giving her a scolding look and the younger blonde sighed. "I think –A might have a connection to Radley. I can't know for sure. But it's a possibility. And yes I would have. I mean I told Noel and I knew he'd tell you so of course I'd tell you at some point." Cece felt her chest tighten. "So you _wouldn't_ have told me if you hadn't told Noel?" Alison winced. Cece started again, not wanting to make Alison feel bad, "-A being connected to Radley? That's not a weird possibility. But wouldn't there have been reports about it? Wouldn't there have been news stories warning Rosewood about an escaped psychopath that was running loose?"

Alison turned back to Cece, chuckling. "Yeah, that's probably true. But, we have to hold open any possibility. Any at all. I mean, I didn't find out until recently that Wren Kingston had been at Radley and yet he's allowed to be a doctor. Who knows what else the people at Radley are hiding?"

Cece thought about that. Considering how many creeps ran this town-how many were actively running around in it, who knew what went on in Radley and what was kept from the public? That was a good, really unsettling point.

"Agreed." She sighed. "So the question is now, what do we do first? Who do we worry about first? Lyndon James, I'm guessing?"

Alison nodded. "Yeah. Lets see if we can get him arrested. If not, well, we'll move to more…unconventional means later. But we have to monitor the –A-Team and Wren Kingston." She looked at Cece and the older girl nodded, winking at her little sister. "Hey, I'm ready for war if you are." Cece promised Alison. Alison grinned and hopped off the rock. "Lets go check what's happening with Lyndon." Alison felt the disgust out, "I'm going to contact Noel." She nodded to the circuit box attached to the pole of Noel's cabin. "But lets get rid of that footage before –A sees it, first." Cece nodded. "Good idea."

They quickly headed over to the box to use the code and get rid of the evidence that Alison and Cece had ever been there.

After that, it would be time to seal Lyndon James's fate. Whatever it was.

 **(Page Break)**

A long black and blue bus stopped at the corner of Rosewood's sidewalk to the bus station. Several passengers got out, down the metal steps of the bus.

Two pairs of feet clad in thick, black boots emerged. As the owners of these black boots emerged, they were revealed to be two young women. One was shorter than the other. The shorter one had light brown skin, thick dark brown hair, a cool smile on her face, a skateboard under her right arm, dark brown eyes glancing around the area, an unimpressed look on her angular face. The taller girl, with a head of very short black hair, icy blue eyes, three silver earrings in her right ear and black baggy cargo pants and a tight black T-shirt and round face lifted her thick, black eyebrows at the sight of the town.

"Holy crap." The black-haired girl chuckled, "We really are in the burbs now, aren't we?"

The girl with the skateboard turned and pat her friend's back with her free hand. "Easy, Kira." Sam said, "We're here. Now time to kick some ass and take names, just like Dana asked." Kira rolled her eyes as she leaned in, whispering to her friend, "I'm pretty sure by now that her name isn't Dana." Sam shrugged, "She'll always be Dana to me. So lets go."

 **Kaoone-So, here is your update (Sorry, this one took me forever.) Hope you like it.**

 **Awesome1: Ah, I know. Sorry, but angsty Alison is a big thing for this fic and always gets to me.**


	13. 99 Problems, Indeed

**Chapter 13: 99 Problems, Indeed:**

"Okay, so don't freak out," Cece began, holding her hands up, ready to give the younger the disturbing news, "Something…happened with Spencer. She's alright, just slightly traumatized." Alison narrowed her eyes and stepped closer, entire frame tense, eyes piercing in their inspection. " _What?_ " Alison asked, danger in her voice, tone sharp. Cece winced. Oh boy, here they went. "Don't freak out," She repeated, "I don't know how –A did this, but when Spencer went to help me with some clothes at the boutique, and I swear, I was sure she'd be safe, but I start hearing her screaming for my help in the changing room and I ran to help." Cece tried not to feel the immense guilt at how Alison's eyes widened, and how the younger's eyes became slits of pure fear, even if it was only a second before returning to a neutral expression.

Having gotten to a more or less safe location with a door and bare walls, one of the many safe havens that they had found around Rosewood that no one knew about, and unlikely to have any cameras or bugs placed anywhere, they had a more or less secure area and were watching the footage that Noel had delivered to them on the girls. They knew that they were as bad as –A for doing it but they had to do what they had to do.

"It was a snake," Cece said at last, "I'm telling you, I don't know how –A could have done this. There was a literal, flesh and blood snake, hissing and slithering in the changing room where Spencer was using the clothes." As Alison's eyes became wide, a sliver of dread in those blue orbs, Cece quickly assured her sister, looking at her with affection, "The snake's dead though. I made sure of that. I killed it after I let Spencer out of the dressing room."

Alison absorbed this and her eyes narrowed again, face pale, "Let Spencer out? -A locked her in?"

Cece nodded, swallowing, feeling her throat tighten. "I remember everyone that came through there. There was a camera that was on in the store. There is no way that –A could have come in carrying a bag with a snake and not be noticed. But –A wasn't anywhere on the tape as far as I could tell. I don't know how this freak pulled it off." Alison crossed her arms over her chest; Cece suspected the younger was trying to keep her anxiety under control. "-A locked her up and threw a snake in there….." She looked at Cece hard, "You killed it? Before it had the chance to bite her?"

Cece nodded. "Yeah." She felt the guilt expand inside her. She was supposed to keep Spencer and the other girls safe. She had almost been too late. She wasn't an expert on snakes so she had no idea if that snake was actually venomous, but it had still been a close call. She could only imagine what Alison was feeling right now, knowing her precious Spencer had been in that situation.

Alison nodded, eyes filled with utter gratitude. "Thank you." She said, "Thank you for protecting her."

Cece felt a huge smile form. "Of course, sweetie. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Don't worry. You're honey's safe." "Cece." Alison scolded, chuckling slightly, glancing away from the older blonde, though she was smiling wide. Not wanting to make Alison feel any more self-conscious than she likely already did, Cece spoke up, "So, now that yet another calamity has been avoided." Alison smirked, "God damn -A." Cece nodded, more than agreeing. It was hard not to want to curse -A every chance they got. Cece continued carefully, "What do we do now?" Alison's voice barked with dry laughter, "how about we check the videos and see the progress report so far?"

Alison chuckled, cocking her head, confident smile back. "Right." She walked to the simple, bare desk and sat down, backpack between her feet and grabbed the bag Cece had gotten from Noel filled with cameras. All with footage of the girls planted in certain areas where they hung out. Alison pulled out the first one and opened it, attention grabbed instantly when Emily came up on the screen, talking with Lyndon.

Cece watched as Alison observed the video of "Nate" talking with Emily. And another camera, holding footage of Mona walking through the school hall with a butcher's knife that was skewered through a grey brain. The dark-haired lunatic walked down the hall, making all of the foolish teenagers recording the incident with their phones back away till Mona reached the garbage bin and tossed the brain out. Alison grimaced, watching these two videos.

"Okay," The younger blonde grumbled, "Firstly, we need to get Lyndon now. Secondly, where the hell did that brain come from? Thirdly, who exactly thought it was a good idea to put a butcher's knife in the psychotic's locker?!" Cece tried to keep the laugh under control, but its powerful sound spilled out and Cece almost bent over as she almost cackled. Alison raised an eyebrow at the older girl, shaking her head.

"Well," Alison said, looking back at the first monitor with Nate and Emily, "He hasn't tried to get her alone yet. So we have a chance. Maya should be coming back from the police station or sending us a text soon.

As soon as she said that, her throwaway phone "dinged" making both girls look down at Alison's pocket. "Well, Ali," Cece said, grinning, "Let's just assume you have the powers of a god from now on." Alison chuckled, pulling her phone out. She checked the text. "Ah." She said, grinning and turning the phone to Cece.

It was a text from Maya. It said, _"Alison, I gave my statement to the police about Lyndon James. I didn't say anything about you or any of the others. Just that I had been hiding out at a friend's till I was sure I could come and tell the police. I gave them a description and told them that he's going by "Nate St. Germain" now. They should be going to pick him up, soon."_

" _P.S. What do I do now?"-Maya_

Cece grinned, looking over to Alison. "Looks like we have a new recruit. And isn't that sweet? A little lamb coming into the group looking for guidance." At the smug smirk on Cece's face, Alison gave the older a look of disapproval. "She's not a little lamb, Cece. And we're helping her. Not using her." Cece eyed Alison, amused. "Ali," She began, a little too much gaiety in her voice, but her tone was gentle, "I know you're trying to be a good person here, but let's be honest. We _are_ using her. She's a plant. She's supposed to look after the girls for us. We can at the very least admit when we're doing something underhanded. And we are."

Alison exhaled. Cece was right. Whether she liked it or not, her big sister was right. They were using Maya, and she was intended to be a spy. There wasn't really any other way to say it than accept that for how it was. "Well, anyway," Cece shrugged, "We should answer her. She needs information after all." Alison nodded, feeling slightly numb. There was only so much one person could take when it came to all this. She turned the phone in her hands and began typing out to Maya.

" _Maya, I am so glad to hear that you had the courage to tell people about Lyndon. Good for you. Right now, all I'd like you to do is join Emily. See her and let her know you're alright. And as long as the cops pick Lyndon up, there's at least one danger out of the way. Go on. Just be with Emily. I'm sure she'll be overjoyed to know you're okay and that someone as dangerous as Lyndon is locked up. But don't tell her about us, and don't tell her I'm alive, even if that hurts. It'll just cause her problems if she knows I'm still alive."-Red_

She hadn't wanted to leave on such a grim note, but Maya needed to know that danger was always lurking in this town.

The phone dinged with a response.

" _Okay. So when we eventually meet, do we use signals or kinds of code words or something?"-Maya_

Alison smirked as she read that. She definitely liked this girl.

She wrote her response, _"Noel will come by at some point and give you a written message about where to meet us. After you remember that, I want you to rip the message and get rid of it and come meet us. We'll discuss it then. And make sure you're not followed. I'll explain what else to do then. And erase these texts after you get them. We can't risk –A seeing them." –Red_

Alison sent the response and waited, shuffling the backpack between her feet. Cece glanced down at the bag, still curious. Her cell phone dinged and she checked it. She smiled when she saw it was Shana. Her eyes narrowed when she read it. Hmm. She looked at Alison, taking the text into consideration.

As Alison pocketed her phone, waiting, taking a sip of her water, Cece chose that time to inspect what was wrong. "Ali?" Alison turned to her, lifting an eyebrow. Cece looked down at Shana's text again and said, trying to bring humor into it, "Shana says that you were acting strange in the car. She said you thought you had one of those dreams again. And she said that you heard something and acted funny about it. I know times are tough right now, but are you losing it?" She ended her voice with a teasing edge, smirking, but instead of a slight smile, a glare was sent her way, startling the older blonde. Alison scowled before her gaze softened and she looked down at the floor.

"I don't know," Alison confessed, sounding confused and lost, "Cece, I'm really starting to wonder if I'm losing my mind." The younger blonde turned back to the now incredibly concerned Cece, "Cece…I don't know if I'm going crazy or not. I _feel_ –A's pain, I share dreams with –A. And now…? In the car, I thought I heard a voice. A girl voice, but when I looked around, no one, not Shana, not Margo, not Maya, none of them spoke. I'm starting to hear voices now, Cece. And yeah, I did have one of those dreams again. I _saw_ Maya tied up. I was connected to –A's mind. I don't know how, but I'm connected to –A."

Cece felt a cold, slimy nerve of dread by those words. Connected to –A….how?

At Cece's worried look, Alison shrugged, chuckling wryly, "I know, crazy, right? I don't know how to explain it any more than you do. We don't have time to get worried about this right now, though. We have to worry about Lyndon and Wren and –A's goons. But I might be connected to Jenna, Mona, Lucas and Melissa's head honcho. Just great."

"Hey." Cece began, stepping forward and laying her right hand gently on Alison's back, concern in her eyes as she met them with Alison's disturbed ones, "It's alright. It doesn't mean anything. Lets say you are connected to –A. Lets say that. But that doesn't mean anything about you, okay? I know you, Ali. You're not innocent at all, but that doesn't mean you're like –A. Not anymore. Anyone who says different can kiss both our hot asses."

Alison's face brightened at the praise, and nodded hesitantly. "Thank you, Cece." She sighed, head pressing against Cece's arm as the older blonde wrapped her other one around the younger, stroking her back. Alison parted from the older girl, nodding to the cameras. "Thank you, but I hate to say it, but these cameras being planted aren't really a reassurance of that. We're watching them just as much as –A is." Alison leaned back, looking up at Cece, "After I found Wren's file, you know what the first thing that came to my mind was? Blackmailing him. I thought of blackmailing him to keep him away from Spencer. The same as I did to Paige to control her. Noel suggested it too, but that was the first thing that popped in my head." Alison pulled her head away and looked regretfully at the screens. "I haven't changed."

Cece felt a painful tug of her heart, wrapping her arms tighter around Alison. "That's not true. That's not true. You have. You're only thinking about doing that to Kingston because it's necessary. He's a potentially dangerous creep that's trying to get in Spencer's pants. You're just trying to protect her. The Alison I used to know would have blackmailed him immediately just because she could. Maybe not even for money."

Alison sagged into the seat, against Cece's arms, sighing, smiling slightly and warmth spreading through her chest at the older girl's impassioned claims. She rested her head against Cece's inner arm.

There was a buzzing in Alison's pocket and both blonde's parted, startled. Alison pulled her phone out, checking it. She turned back to Cece. "It's just Maya, confirming everything." Alison looked back to the phone and added, "I think I should text Noel and ask him to come over. I sent a message to Sam and Kira to meet us here, so all five of us can make a plan." Cece nodded, resuming stroking the back of Alison's mane.

Cece loved Alison the way she was now, just as she did before. Alison was trying so hard to change-to be different. Clearly, the rest of the world didn't catch the memo and decided to make it more difficult. Alison proceeded to text and "okay" to Maya and then texted to Noel. Cece thought about what she had been told. Alison was linked, mentally somehow to –A. A cold feeling squirmed its way through her chest. Did that mean that if Alison could sometimes have dreams of what –A saw then –A could see what Alison saw too? Cece almost shivered at the thought of that maniac seeing through Alison's eyes, seeing _them,_ being even more steps ahead of Ali.

And how could Alison possibly be connected to –A?

The thought brought a disturbing possibility to surface in Cece's mind. As Alison sent the text to Noel, the older girl forced her pride down, finding the words coming out carefully, knowing that she could do this for Alison's sake- _had_ to do this for Alison's sake and couldn't risk being someone that wouldn't be straight with her little sister in this world of hypocrites, "Ali, I need to ask something." As Alison turned her head to Cece, the older girl tried to hide her flinch. She didn't want to ask this. She didn't want to make Alison feel worse.

Alison's family life was so messed up. Her brother passed out and did nothing while his scumbag friends tried to rape her, her father was neglectful, her mother abusive verbally and physically, she didn't need more on top of everything else, but there didn't seem to be any other possibility.

"Cece?" Alison asked, cocking her head slightly, inquiring. Cece swallowed and said at last, a rare look of guilt on her face, "Ali, I don't want to think of this, but do you think it's possible that –A's related to you?" As soon as she said it, Cece risked a worried glance at the younger and this time, unable to stop her wince at Alison's face. The younger didn't look hurt or upset or anything. She looked sad. Almost like she expected this.

"I'll admit," Alison said, "I've considered that. When I was at Radley and looking at the files, I checked the Ds. There were no DiLaurentis names in the files. But as we know, "A's" pretty good at destroying evidence. We have to hold open every possibility like we said. And my connection to –A just makes me freaking suspicious. Alison looked down at the cameras again. "I don't want to think of this as a possibility, but I'm pretty sure that the A-Team boss is related to me somehow."

Cece exhaled and chuckled grimly, "Ali, I hate saying this, but needless to say, your family is really messed up." Alison laughed, surprisingly sounding genuine in her mirth, "Well there's news I never realized before." Cece broke out into a soft laugh at that. Well, at least Alison was taking this fairly easily. It was sometimes hard to remember that Ali had given up on her family. She hadn't been back to check on Jessica, Kenneth or Jason since her times being in Rosewood as Redcoat. She only checked on the girls. Cece could tell, whenever Alison heard about her family, it hurt the younger, but Alison steeled herself as she always had done. She accepted that her parents and brother had never cared about her and was trying to move on.

One more rotten family member probably wouldn't make much of a difference to Alison.

Alison sobered up and said dryly, "Maya was right up against this –A's body. She said that she felt breasts under the hoodie." Alison gave Cece a dry look. "A sister?" Cece shrugged, jaw tightening as a jolt of jealousy ran through her at the thought. But she knew not to feel threatened. –A was a psycho. Alison wouldn't have any affection for a psychopath. The girl had had enough of her psycho family with her mother. Cece pushed her petty frisson of foolish and crazy jealousy aside when she heard Alison's slight laugh, "Guess I should wait for the Jerry Springer of twisted family reunions." Cece smirked, patting her sister's back again. Well, Alison was right about that. This town seemed ideal for a ridiculous sideshow of a Reality Show.

"Well, all family reunions aside," Alison said quietly, "I guess we should wait for Noel, Sam and Kira to get here before we plan anything." The older blonde nodded, "Right, you got it, sweetie." At the gentle, loving nickname, Alison sent the older a grateful smile.

A few minutes passed of checking the other cameras, when Cece froze at some point, looking at the screen of one, eyes going wide. "Um, Ali?" She said, making Alison turn from the screen she was looking at, "You might want to see this."

Alison watched the grave look on Cece's face and immediately scooted herself over on the chair to the screen, looking at it. Her eyes became huge soon too. "For Christ's sake," She growled, "Is Lyndon just making a habit of going after _all_ of Emily's girlfriends?"

 **(Page break)**

Noel jumped into his convertible, checking the mirror on his car every three seconds as he started it up. He stiffened up, watching "Nate," or as he found, Lyndon James was talking to Emily, _again_. He knew Ali might kill him for this, but he was just glad that Lyndon wasn't hitting on Jenna anymore. He had been jealous when he had seen the two of them together, but he knew Jenna could take care of herself. He wasn't going to condescend her by "coming to her rescue." But knowing that this guy was actually a dangerous stalker, well, that just made his nerves completely freeze up when he realized how Jenna had dodged a bullet by Lyndon taking an interest in Emily instead.

He checked the road dozens of times. Where were those useless cops?! Alison told him that Maya had been dropped off at the police station and had given her statement to them. They should be here now. Were they really so worthless that they couldn't even stop one stalker? Really?

He watched as Lyndon was trying to lead Emily towards his car. That was all it took for Noel's eyes to get huge, switch off the engine and bolt out of the car, racing towards the two.

Faster than he had ever run on the school field at football practice, he jumped between Lyndon's car and Emily. "Hold it!" He snapped, green eyes glaring furiously at Lyndon, "Don't even think about it, Fields." He watched as those dark eyes went wide and a startled look covered the stalker's face. "You do _not_ want to go with him, Fields," Noel snapped, glaring at Lyndon, "He's the reason Maya couldn't come home and didn't ever feel safe at Rosewood. He's been stalking her since True North."

There, he said it. A rare honest moment went to Noel Kahn. The dark-haired young man waited for Emily's confused look. He wasn't surprised at all when he saw the shock and fury on Lyndon's face. "What?" Emily asked, disbelieving. "That is bull," Lyndon snapped, glaring at Noel before he looked desperately at Emily, "Emily, don't believe him. I'm Maya's cousin."

"He's _not_." Noel snapped, teeth clenching, "His name is Lyndon James. He stalked and threatened Maya while she was at True North. Maya told me when she came to one of my parties." The thought had crossed his head to mention that Maya had been staying with him to earn Emily's trust, but he couldn't risk Lyndon knowing where Maya stayed. "Wait a minute, what?!" Emily demanded, looking at him. She slowly looked at Lyndon, mortified. "Don't." Lyndon smiled, face pale, trying to recover, glaring at Noel as if he was the most disgusting person in the world, "Don't believe, it Em. He's lying." Lyndon's smile almost twitched in the creep's desperation, "I'm Maya's cousin. She'd never be afraid of me."

"Oh please." Noel grumbled, "There's a reason why Maya's scared, because this guy wants to kill her just because she wasn't in love with him like he wanted. He'll do the same to you just because you don't put out. Probably has decided what he's going to do already." He looked at the startled Emily, whose eyebrows were furrowing in confusion. Before any of the three of them could say anything else, a familiar irritating, know it all voice broke in.

"What's going on here, Noel?" Spencer stalked over, commanding brown eyes flashing in warning. Noel normally would have smirked, feeling a great deal of satisfaction that he caused the youngest Hastings to be frustrated and ireful, but considering the situation, even he knew that there was a time to take things seriously. "Oh nothing," He assured Spencer, staring hard at Lyndon, "Just that your bestie's about to go off with a stalker that's probably going to kill her and throw her body in ditch somewhere."

Now Lyndon looked like he was barely able to keep his arms from raising up, looking like he wanted to hit Noel at any moment. Emily was staring at Noel, horrified and confused, mouth gaping in that way that made Noel laugh because it reminded him of a goldfish. Spencer stared at him, stunned and Noel glared at Lyndon, hoping that at least one of them would get the hint. "Seriously," Noel said, "I know neither of you are the brightest of people, but don't you think it's slightly suspicious that Maya never once mentioned a "cousin Nate" to anyone? Especially to Emily? Do I have to spell it out for you? This guy's a stalker. He's been stalking Maya for months now. There, I spoon fed you the answers. Happy now?"

He stared then at both Spencer and Emily, expecting at least _some_ sense on their part to kick in. Spencer furrowed her eyebrows, alarm in those eyes and she darted them to Lyndon. Noel felt a surge of relief when the brunette reached out and took Emily's left wrist, pulling the swimmer away from Lyndon, hard, and put her body between Emily and Lyndon.

Noel actually laughed out, "Wow, she finally got it right for once! Good job, Hastings."

Spencer glowered at Noel, before turning back to Lyndon. The furious dark-skinned man approached Noel dangerously, muscles tensing, face vision of utter murderous rage. "I'll fucking kill you." He hissed, blood lost from his face, dark skin, a few shades lighter. "Dude," Noel chuckled, smirking, "You're real ugly when you're mad. No wonder Maya didn't want anything to do with you. Who would want some loser who gets off on stalking women?"

Lyndon's hand shot out and grabbed Noel by his collar, slamming the green eyed young man to the car, making Noel tense up as he readied his fists for a fight, watching the other man carefully. "She was playing me!" Lyndon spat, now completely unaware that dozens of people were staring at him, including the shocked Spencer and Emily, "I fell in love with her and she played me! She just used my affections. That bitch!" Emily now stared at Lyndon like he was someone she didn't even recognize. Noel had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Really?

He pointed at Lyndon, looking at both Spencer and Emily, "A real Prince Charming, right?"

Lyndon let out a growl and pulled a fist back, swinging, earning loud gasps and "no!" from both Emily and Spencer, but Noel just dodged it, Lyndon's fist hitting the top of the car, bringing a tortured howl from his throat as Noel slipped under Lyndon and rammed his left shoulder into the other's stomach, sending Lyndon to the grass. Spencer was pushing Emily away from the scene, gaping when the wails of sirens filled the air, three cop cars driving out, police officers jumping out.

"Finally!" Noel groaned, shaking his head, "I know pigs are lazy, but you guys are pathetic." One cop gave him a dirty look before his buddies ran over to Lyndon and picked him up forcibly, slamming the man to the car. "You're Nate St. Germain?" The cop that had Lyndon demanded. Desperately, Lyndon nodded vigorously.

"Mr. St. Germain," The cop said, "Or as I understand it, Lyndon James?" Lyndon's eyes went wide as he glanced back at the cop, now appearing panicked. The now smirking cop said, "Mr. James, you'll be coming with me to the police station now for the harassment and stalking of Maya St. Germain."

Noel grinned, watching, lifting himself up fully, crossing his arms over his chest.

Spencer and Emily were gawking at the whole thing and Noel almost laughed when he saw Aria and Hanna running across the lawn to join their two friends. Noel wondered just what was going on in those gullible heads of theirs.

As Lyndon was shoved into the backseat of the car, the man sent one last vicious grin in Emily's direction, startling Noel. What was that about? Wasn't Maya safe? Alison had texted him and told him that they had dropped Maya off at the police station. She should be safe. There was no way Lyndon could get to her now. What was it Lyndon wanted Emily to feel threatened by?

As the cops drove off, the girls all looked at each other and Spencer walked towards Noel, face incredibly cautious as it always looked when regarding him since Hanna had been hit by that car (honestly, Noel didn't understand it himself). "Noel, how did you know?" Spencer asked, staring. Noel shook his head. "Why are you always suspicious, Hastings? Maya was staying with me for a while, because she needed a place to hide from that stalker." Noel looked at Emily, "It wasn't like she was about to endanger Emily." Four pairs of very wide, confused eyes were locked on Noel, and he could just feel the laughter starting. Oh boy, if they knew that he knew way more than they thought…well, to be fair, they probably wouldn't be surprised, considering their suspicion, but still, they'd be very wrong, and probably very surprised by what he knew.

"Wait," Emily began, tone becoming defiant as she stepped close, eyes locked with his, "Why did she come to you-?" Emily was abruptly interrupted by her ringing cell phone. Emily and the other girls all now had a look of fear if only for a few seconds. Noel experienced a great moment of sympathy. He had never been stalked. Never. He couldn't imagine what that was like. So far, all he had learned of –A was through Alison and what he could guess from Jenna.

Emily pulled her phone out and checked it. That wide-mouth look was back. She looked at Spencer and showed her.

Noel glanced away, listening in, pretending to be discreet as he slowly walked away. Though they were being quiet, they still spoke out loud, "You might want to know, Paige has been abducted by Lyndon James. She was taken from her home, out the window at 8:00 this morning. I can only guess where she is now. Red."

Noel would have grinned, pretty sure who this "Red" was if it wasn't –A. –A would have been more cryptic. Obviously Alison decided to spell it out for the girls. But only concern and new realization replaced whatever satisfaction he felt. Lyndon had grabbed Paige. No wonder he had been smirking at Emily. Noel's mouth was drawn in a line of deep caution. Great. A new problem. A new rescue mission. As if they hadn't had enough of _those_ lately.

 **Note: Hope you liked it. Don't worry, Paige isn't dead. Just currently tied up in the lighthouse like in the episode. I felt kind of torn about the end of this chapter. I was trying to decide whether or not to have this happen with Noel. I wondered if it was taking away Emily's triumphant and heroic moment in "The Lady Killer" and giving it to Noel, but there will be plenty of other opportunities coming up for our girls to kick some stalker ass. And for those of you that are wondering about Alison's connection to -A, I think you have an idea of where this is going.**


	14. Take you away from us

**Warning: Spoilers for the books**

 **Chapter 14: Take you away from us**

"Okay, we need to freaking find Paige now." Alison said urgently, sliding her phone back into her pocket, jumping off the chair and grabbing her redcoat from the floor, putting it on and then grabbing her backpack and securing it on. "Well, sure, duh," Cece agreed, "But…where do we start?" Alison furrowed her eyebrows, thinking. "There's some footage of Lyndon talking about taking Emily to a lighthouse. I think he said it was the lighthouse right near the bay five miles from here." Alison's face lit up as she smirked, grabbing her weapons. Cece nodded, grabbing her own. While it was doubtful they'd run into any trouble this time around, given Lyndon had been arrested, and Paige's abduction hadn't involved an –A Team member as far as they could tell, but you never really knew in this town, did you?

They were fully clothed and geared up in three minutes, closing and locking everything up and running through the forests, white nightmare masks over their faces. During her running, Alison fished out her throwaway phone and texted Noel for him to stay where he was in case the police questioned him about Maya. She knew he wouldn't tell anyone about her or the Redcoats, or even –A. That was something that would be kept under wraps. She texted Shana then, telling her about Paige and where she suspected the girl was being kept.

They fled through the forest, Cece and Alison finally drew deeper into the woods, reaching the tall, white lighthouse, its black tiled spire spilling out a beam of blinding light that circled around its metal rotating case. Alison glanced up at it through the eyeholes of her mask. Looked like the perfect place to hide someone. No one knew where you were and you'd be easy to kill and no one would find your body. Alison swallowed, thinking about how easy those thoughts that probably belonged in a serial killer's planning crossed her mind, even though it was kind of just common sense not to be in an isolated place in the woods.

Cece reached the door of the lighthouse first, pulling it open hard and jumping inside. Alison followed and both blondes looked around. Cece swooped to a dark green trunk up against the wall, mumbling, "I really hope not." She pulled it open. Alison was reassured to hear a relieved, "Nope."

Alison stiffened when she heard movement from a closed door. Eyebrows furrowing she went to the closet and pulled it open, looking inside on the floor. Alison's heart leapt, a shiver running down her back at the sight of the bound and duct taped Paige staring up at her in fear from where she was sitting on the floor. Alison had her white mask on and her blonde hair was hidden beneath the redcoat, so there was no indication of who she was, but Paige, more than understandably, was terrified. A bit of duct tape over her mouth muffled her cries, her mascara was running-it struck Alison as odd as she never would have imagined Paige wearing mascara in the first place.

The once strong-willed, stubborn girl was shaking, eyes wide, hands tied together, ankles bound. Alison winced. Whatever anger she felt towards the other girl over pushing Emily underwater vaporized at the picture before her. She sighed, slowly taking a step towards the backing up redhead, who couldn't get very far since she was already up against the wall. Alison knew there wasn't much she could do that wouldn't freak the other girl out, but she needed to get Paige free.

She turned to where Cece was looking around and hit the side of the wall with a gloved hand, catching Cece's attention, not wanting to risk Paige hearing and recognizing her voice. Cece whirled and faced Alison. Alison gestured for the older blonde to come over and Cece ran over, looking down, doing a double take as she saw Paige. Alison pointed to Paige, specifically to the tape around Paige's wrists and then pointed to her own belt, pushing her redcoat back and revealing her knife. Cece, understanding quickly, nodded and moved forward, grabbing the squirming redhead and dragging her up to stand, holding Paige's arms out with her gloved hands. Alison smiled appreciatively behind her mask, reaching to her belt and pulling out her knife, losing her smile as she saw Paige's predictable reaction.

The redhead squirmed even harder in Cece's grip, eyes going wide as they spotted the blade, letting out a muffled distressed moan. Alison tried to ignore the growing sympathy for this girl. She wanted to reassure Paige that it was going to be okay, but she couldn't risk her voice being heard, and even if Paige did recognize her voice, how would that be reassuring? Considering their history, that would just reinforce Paige's suspicion that she was about to be killed. Focusing instead on just getting Paige's hands loose, Alison slipped the tip of the blade between Paige's wrists, under the duct tape, careful to avoid the flesh of the girl's wrists and hands and sliced upwards.

The blade cut through the tape, ripping the slab, making Paige stiffen as she looked down, now confused. Alison put her knife away, hands going to the tape and completely ripping the rest away, pulling it off of Paige's clothed wrists, freeing the other girl's hands. Alison tossed the tape away and nodded to Cece for the older blonde to follow her. Cece nodded back and released Paige, both girls rushing past Paige who was now looking at both of them, utterly confused. Both blondes fled out of the closet and to the door of the lighthouse. Paige must have pulled the tape off her mouth because she was calling after them, "What the hell?! Who are you?! Wait!"

As Alison and Cece ran into the woods just outside of the lighthouse, turning only to see Paige now fully freed, having taken the tape off her ankles and running out, looking around, still bedraggled, Cece began to move when Alison put her hand gently on her sister's arm. "Wait," Alison whispered, "I don't think she knows where she is. I'll lead her back to town."

Cece turned to Alison in question. "Wait, what? What if she tries to see who you are?" "That won't happen." Alison mumbled, still focusing her attention on the befuddled and panicking Paige, "I'll run before she can try to see my face. But I need to lead her back. Tell Shana that we've found her and that she shouldn't put herself in any danger. I'll text Emily and tell her where Paige is. Go on." Cece hesitated, not wanting to leave Alison alone, till the younger blonde turned to her sister, nodding urgently. "Go on. I'll meet you back at the base in two hours. Bring Shana with you." She repeated, nodding further in the woods.

Cece sighed, not liking this but nodded, reaching out and squeezing Alison's arm. "Be careful." She pleaded, taking one last look at that backpack that Alison still had on before turning and running deeper into the thicket, pulling out her phone.

Alison turned to Paige who was still looking around, unable to see the brightly dressed figure as Alison was hiding behind a wide, thick oak tree. Alison, deciding to grant mercy to the poor teenager, came out behind the tree, showing herself to Paige. The redhead froze, eyes on the mysterious crimson figure with a backpack in the dark. Alison stretched out her right arm and waved it towards herself, indicating for Paige to follow her. Paige, cautious, hesitated for almost a minute before her feet began trailing after the masked figure. Paige came towards Alison and Alison started walking down the path, knowing precisely what way to go to get to the main road to get the redhead back to town.

As she heard Paige following, the question still coming out of a confused and frustrated mouth, "Just who are you?!" She didn't pay attention, still moving along. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her throwaway phone and texted to Emily, _"I have Paige with me, Emily. We will be approaching the main road in a few minutes. You can find her soon, if you come by with your three little friends. Might want to hurry.-Red."_

She didn't want to be ambiguous with the girls, but in this game, you kind of had to be. Emily and the others should be out looking for Paige now. Noel had texted them that Emily had reacted to the text and should be looking for them. They no doubt, knowing the four of them, would be running all over the place, panicked. To be fair, at least Spencer should be trying to add something logical.

Whenever Paige tried to run forward, trying to get a closer look at her strange rescuer, Alison would leap forward several steps, evading the redhead and leading the other girl onwards. After almost twenty minutes of these back and forth attempts, Alison slipped out of the forest and hit the edge of the road. She checked both sides of the road, crossing, checking over her shoulder, past the strap of her backpack to see Paige following still. Alison got to the other side of the road and began walking to the right, gesturing again for the other girl to follow. Paige looked cautious in the moon's light, but walked after the redcoat covered figure, glancing both ways on the street for cars and crossing, following behind the other.

In the distance, Alison saw the lights spilling out of what she knew to be The Brew and two clothing stores. She walked forward, grabbing her phone again, sending another mysterious text to Emily that Paige was approaching The Brew, signing it "Red" before putting the phone away.

Alison got to the edge of the forest, just before reaching town, gesturing for Paige to go in before shooting off into the forest again. She heard Paige calling, "Wait!" again, but didn't stop her running. Paige was safe back in town, Lyndon was arrested, Emily and the other girls had been alerted and Maya was safe. Hopefully for now there would be some reprieve from the lunacy that was the regular stalker experience in Rosewood. She pulled out her phone to let Noel know that Paige had been rescued so that he didn't worry, and to stay where he was or give his report to the police about Maya staying with him and that was how he knew about Lyndon, sending it and waiting for a response as she moved.

 **An hour and a half later:**

 **Base-Warehouse:**

Alison arrived at the door of the base, checking behind her, seeing no one before closing the door, locking it and turning to Cece and Shana, pulling her mask off. "So," She chuckled incredulously, "One more tragedy averted. So what's next?"

Shana sighed, rubbing the back of her neck, "Paige is safe?" Alison nodded, pushing her hood back, letting some of her gold mane fall out, "Yeah, I lead her back to town, and Emily now knows where Paige is. Hopefully that's cleared up. But," She added carefully, "Now that Paige has seen us," She nodded to Cece, "The police might be told about two people in red coats and masks, unless Paige keeps it a secret for some reason."

Cece chuckled, "Can't be helped. Hopefully the police will just think she's lost her mind because of trauma." Alison bit her lower lip, not wanting to agree with the older girl. She really shouldn't be hoping that that was what would happen with Paige, given the poor girl's experience, but that would be convenient, wouldn't it? Not just because of –A, but because of the most corrupt and useless station of cops ever.

"In any case," Cece said, glancing at Alison, "Ali, have you told Shana what your theory is about Big –A?"

At Shana's narrowed eyebrows, looking at Cece, the older blonde smirked. "I guess that answers that, then."

Alison huffed out quietly, glaring at Cece for a moment who was smirking, "Shana, Cece and I have a theory about who –A is." Shana turned back to Alison, crossing her arms over her chest, "Which one of us doesn't?" Alison chuckled, closing her eyes. "That's not what I mean. What I mean is, I'm talking about my connection to –A." She opened her eyes and watched Shana's reaction. The dark-skinned girl's lips tightened in concern and Shana watched Alison, ready to listen to whatever the younger had to say. Alison started, "I heard a voice in the car, a girl's voice, but none of you were talking. I have dreams that are through an A-Team member, but I don't know who it is. And sometimes I feel this person's pain. Like at the greenhouse with Emily, when –A was running out and Hanna hit them with a car. What I'm saying is, I think –A might be a family member of mine." _And more than that,_ a frightening thought shot into her mind, almost making her shiver.

A cold, tight, tense silence filled the room that was almost deafening. Shana pulled her head back, absorbing this till her words finally came out, "You think you're related to –A? How?" Shana smirked dryly, "Don't tell me, you think –A's your mom or something." Alison sighed, shaking her head, "No way. My mom…Jessica, she's a lot of things, but she wouldn't be able to pull off what –A's pulled off. –A literally jumped from that walkway from feet up, if you remember. She could never do that. And I've never had that deep a connection to her. No…I'm thinking I have another sibling I never met. Except…" Alison almost shivered as she remembered –A writing on the mirror when she had Maya, _"Hello, Alison. Do you remember me?"_

"Ali?" Cece asked, watching her little sister. Alison breathed out, looking up at the older girls apprehensively, "I'm not sure if I _haven't_ met them before." She looked at Shana and said, "Remember when we got close to the factory and I had that dream? I dreamed of –A and Maya. I saw through –A's eyes and –A wrote on a mirror in soap, asking if I remembered them. I think…maybe I _have_ met –A before, and I just don't remember. Or maybe I do and I just don't know who it is. Maybe I've already seen them and just don't recognize them."

Shana and Cece were both gauging Alison's rationalizing of all this, and she could tell that neither of them liked the implications. "This," Shana hesitated, intensity in her gaze as she warily looked at the younger, "This is messed up if what you're saying is true, Ali. You're connected to someone. You share minds with –A? That's really bad. This creep might be trying to get you. I…has this –A ever made it clear what she or whatever wants? I mean, what if they're the person that hit you with the rock?"

Alison winced, recalling that night. That incredibly traumatic night. She threw her hands up, "Like we'd ever know. I don't know, I…" Alison tried not to feel a freezing chill in her bones as she recalled that twin story she had heard when she was little. "Shana," she began, finding her voice almost croaking out, "How much do you remember from when we were little? Do you remember any other kids playing with us besides Jason and your sister?" Shana was startled by the answer, but the realization bloomed in dark eyes only a second later and her mouth parted as she understood what Alison was trying to get at.

Shana furrowed her eyebrows, thinking. Alison knew she was asking a lot of Shana's memory. Who exactly could remember all of one's childhood? But this would be important. If this –A was who Alison suspected it was, there was no freaking way that Shana would have missed the child. If Alison's theory was right, she and –A would have been the exact same age. She watched Shana trying to remember when they were small. There would have been four kids in those memories, playing in front of the houses of Georgia. Shana, Alison, Jason, and Shana's little sister Amalia. But if Alison was right about this, there would be one more child, a girl, the same age and size as Alison herself.

Shana focused hard, ready to get aggravated and tell Alison that she couldn't remember any other child, when an image popped into her mind. Her, Alison and Amalia by a lake, trying to catch little, madly hopping frogs, leaping into the water, when her young eyes caught the sight of a small girl across the lake on the other side, smiling at her. A girl with almost white hair and a nearly identical face to Alison's, wearing the exact same bright yellow dress as Alison. Shana stepped back, stunned, mouth dropping open.

"What?" She demanded, shaken up. She looked at Alison in amazement who was staring at her in turn. "Shana?" Cece asked, narrowing her eyes. "Okay, girl," Shana said, a sliver of nervousness in her voice before she could really think about it, "I don't know if your suggestions are messing with my mind, but I could have sworn I just saw something. Another Alison. With white blonde hair."

Alison's eyes widened. Cece stepped back. "Wait, what?" Cece exclaimed, chuckling slightly, and as Shana glanced at the older blonde, she could see that uncertainty in those blue eyes, "Wait, you actually _saw_ –A as a child? Jesus, this is getting so fucked up." "Tell me about it." Alison grumbled, "Here's the thing," She readied her words, mind traveling to how much she shared with this -A. Pain, sensations, dreams...it really lead to only one possibility. "I think –A might be more than just my sister. I think she might be my twin."

Cece looked at Alison, shocked. Shana slowly turned her head and stared at the younger as well. This clearly was beyond what any of them were expecting. "Well, that makes it official," Cece chortled, shaking her head in disbelief, "This has taken a one way trip to crazy land. Twins, Ali? Are you sure of this?" Alison rolled her eyes, "I'm not sure of _anything_ anymore, but I have to think of it as a possibility." She looked at Shana, "And you remember her? At least a little of her?"

Shana chuckled, exasperated, "I don't think one slip of a memory is gonna do much. I don't even know how trustworthy that memory was. But I saw another you. With lighter hair. Smiling at us. I don't know what's going on here, but this better not be a wild goose chase –A is sending us on again." Alison tried not to snort, recalling the _last_ wild goose chase –A had sent them on, in Philadelphia. That freaking creepy little kid that –A had threatened, and then left alone, making them think he was in danger. What was his name again, Seth?

"Don't see it that way," Alison chuckled, smirking, "If you're on a wild goose chase, you can go ahead and blame me. But I need to know for certain if –A's related to me. All I want to know is if I'm right about this. I really hope I'm not, but I need to know."

Shana hesitantly nodded. "Okay. We'll figure this out. You were born in Rosewood, right?" Alison nodded. "I _think_ so." "Right," Shana said quietly, "So there _should_ be a birth certificate. Maybe if we're lucky we can find something on –A." Alison smiled gratefully as she glanced at Cece and scrunched her eyebrows, worried when she observed the older blonde.

Cece was looking away, a rare numb, neutral expression on her beautiful face. "Shana," Alison began carefully, "Could you get everything ready while I…" Alison nodded to Cece for emphases and Shan nodded back. "No problem, baby girl." If Alison had paid more attention to Shana as the younger approached Cece, she might have seen the hurt flash across Shana's face as the older girl walked over to their duffel bags.

"Cece?" Alison said gently, hand that wasn't holding her mask reaching out and pressing gently against Cece's right arm. The older blonde turned her attention to Alison and the fifteen-year-old almost stepped back as she saw Cece's uncharacteristically sorrowful cerulean eyes. "Cece…, what's wrong?" Alison asked, voice strained, lips turning in a pained frown.

Cece looked away, regretful. "It's nothing!" Cece answered quickly, "Promise that it's nothing." Alison's frown turned annoyed. "Okay, seriously, Cece," Alison said firmly, "You can't tell me it's nothing. I want us to be honest. I'm trying to be more honest with all of you. Can't you do the same? At least with me?" Alison knew she shouldn't have put it that way, but it was the truth. She wanted to know what was wrong with her big sister. That didn't stop her from almost wincing again when she caught Cece's pain filled eyes again. "It's just…," Cece began, "I'm sorry, Ali. I told myself that –A being related to you wouldn't make me feel threatened, but…knowing that –A might be your twin…I…how can I compete with _that?_ "

Alison stepped back, letting go of Cece's arm. She mumbled out quietly, "Cece….."

Before she could think of something else to say, Shana spoke up loudly, "For one, Cece? You're not insane." This earned a chuckle from both blondes before Alison stepped close again, leaning forward and hugging Cece around the waist, pressing her head against the older girl's arm. "Cece," She breathed out, "You're my big sister. You're my big sister no matter what. I don't care if I have a twin. I don't care if I have a thousand siblings I've never met before. You, Shana, Margo, Kira, Sam and the other girls, you're my sisters. Simple as that. No twin is going to destroy that."

She felt Cece's tense body sag, slim arms wrapping around the younger's body, resting her chin on the top of Alison's head. "Ali." Cece mumbled contently, rubbing her left cheek against Alison's head. "So…." Shana stated, picking the rest of the stuff up, "Are we going to the Town Hall building, or what?" At Alison's questioning look, Shana shrugged, "It's the most likely place where the birth records will be. I know Jason's is there. I heard from Jenna that that was how –A found out about Jason. Since Jessica was pregnant with Jason two months before Kenneth came back from his trip in England. We have a car outside. It's a rental and I got it anonymously, online. There's no way anyone will know who we are. Also, we better get those black hoodies on."

"Right." Alison answered, parting from Cece, smiling up at her and walking to the door, grabbing one of the black hoodies from the floor, shedding her redcoat and backpack, and putting her mask down on the redcoat before pulling the black hoodie on,, hiding her hair again and walking over to the corner of the room, picking up a new porcelain mask-this one the mask of a leopard and securing her leopard mask. As she did, Shana went over to Cece, putting her own black hoodie on as she handed the duffel bag to Cece, other hand holding a porcelain mask of a grinning devil. She said quietly, so quiet that only Cece would hear, "We need to talk. Wait till Ali's in the car and we'll talk before getting in." Startled, Cece eyed the other girl before nodding, putting her devil mask on.

Soon, Cece had shed her redcoat and put on a black hoodie and a porcelain mask of an eagle on.

Before anything else, Shana said to Alison through her mask, "Ali, -A' seen you with that backpack. If –A, whoever he or she sees that backpack, you won't be fooling anybody. They'll immediately know it's you, black hoodie or not. You might want to leave it here, or put whatever's in there in another bag or something." Instantly, as had happened before, when the attention went to her backpack, Alison stiffened, glancing back at it. In seconds, before either Cece or Shana could question what the hell was in it, Alison moved over to a small back, fabric bag with elastic ropes strung through it. Alison pulled the backpack off, kneeled down, kept the backpack hidden from both Cece and Shana's views, unzipped it and pulled something that neither older girl could see, stuffing it into the new black fabric bag, pulled her mask and hoodie off and strung the elastic ropes around her arms, securing it before pulling the hoodie back on and putting the mask on.

Cece and Shana, both perturbed, looked at each other as Alison gave them an annoyed stare through the mask that they both knew so well before turning and walking out the door, the bag and its cargo hidden from view by the black hoodie. Cece and Shana slowly followed their secretive little sister out, Cece mumbling to herself, "Honest, huh?"

The three girls locked everything up and left the building. Alison got in the backseat of the car, the bag with the file that she was terrified of either Cece or Shana still close to her beneath the hoodie and as Shana and Cece closed in on the car, Cece turned to Shana in question. Shana sighed through her porcelain devil mask, "Cece, do you think you're the only one threatened by –A being related to Alison? Ali's _my_ little sister too." Cece was so startled by the proclamation that she stopped in her steps, not reaching the trunk of the car. Shana glanced over her shoulder at the other and chuckled, "I'm as scared as you are about one thing. That –A will take Alison away from us. This time though, I don't know if we should worry because Ali's in danger. I'm thinking now that –A wants Alison for something else."

Cece stared, shivering. This was exactly what she had been thinking. She wondered how Shana had read her fear so easily. If Alison was right, this –A might not want to kill Alison. Assuming it _hadn't_ been -A that hit Alison in the head with the rock that night. That was horrible enough. Cece knew she wouldn't be able to handle it if anything happened to Alison. They had already nearly lost Alison enough times to death. Never mind the first time, when Alison had first been declared "missing." How utterly distraught Cece had been till Alison came and found her. But if –A just _wanted_ Alison, wanted to take the younger away from them…..wanted Alison as her sister, to join the "Team," she wasn't sure she could deal with that either.

"Be honest," Shana said dryly, "Do you really think you'll be able to cope, knowing that Alison has a twin sister who wants her to leave us? Do you think any of us could handle that?" Cece's stomach turned at what Shana was saying. Of course, _she_ wasn't the only one suffering from these insecurities, was she? Noel and Shana had known Alison longer than she had. She looked grimly at the other girl. "I sometimes wonder how you can act so strong." She admitted to Shana. Shana shook her head, "It's harder than it looks. I just know that Alison needs it." Before another word could be said, the back door was opened and Alison stuck her masked face out. "Girls," Alison chuckled, "Are we going?"

Shana and Cece glanced at each other before going over to the car and Alison slammed the door close. Shana leaned over the car and whispered to Cece, "By the way, what the hell is in that bag that Alison doesn't want us to see?" Cece chuckled, shrugging, "I really have no idea. It can't be good though." They shared an uncertain look before getting in the front seat, Cece getting in the passenger seat and Shana in the driver's seat. All three of them got their seatbelts on, Cece and Shana both felt Alison's gaze on them, but none of them said anything as the car started.

 **(Page Break)**

 **Town Hall:**

The car was parked by the tanning salon; all three redcoats masquerading as A-Team members piled out carefully, their bodies mostly obscured by the line of trees as they snuck forward, and their bodies swathed in a color that blended into the night instead of their usual garbs. They circled the building, getting to the back, scaling up the wall connected to the gate, getting over and nearing to the back, Alison kneeling down and picking at the lock while Shana and Cece checked around to make sure no one was watching. They slipped inside, glad they had their masks and hoodies on. This way, not only would no one know who they were, but the A-Team would be confused as well. They would think there were three of theirs going into the building for some reason, should the security camera catch sight of them.

They walked into the dark halls of the building, Alison between Shana and Cece, much to the youngest one's chagrin. Shana pointed to the "D" section of the drawers and they wandered over, Alison rolling her eyes and thinking to herself, _"More stacks of files. Here we go again."_

They pulled the D drawer open and Shana pulled out her small silver flashlight and began filing through it. She found two files labeled "DiLaurentis," pulling both out and showing the first one to Alison and Cece, flipping it open. One was Jessica's file. Nothing surprising here. Shana put it back, flipping the next one open. It was Jason's. Again, nothing surprising. Finally, Shana looked into the files again, searching for a third one. One that might indicate that Alison and her twin were here. Alison leaned forward, eyes narrowed, steeling herself for the worst. As she predicted, Shana shining her flashlight on the files, nothing.

Alison gulped as she looked at the drawer again. There was no file on her. Not only was there no file about any possible sibling she had, but there was no file for _her._ Like she had never even existed. For the eighteenth time that night, Alison felt an icy chill hit her.

Cece and Shana turned to Alison, shock in both of their eyes, but Alison was almost certain she saw relief. She sighed, shaking her head and then her eyes widened. The computers! She reached out and grabbed Shana's arm and Cece's arm with her other hand, pointing to the computers. She heard sighs behind her, but ignored them as she went over to the computer on the desk, sitting down at it, gloved hands starting it up and as it reached the desktop, she clicked on the computer icon and looked at the files. Millions were labeled "Birth certificates." Maybe there was no _physical_ copy of her or her twin, if there _was_ a twin, but maybe there was still one in the system of the computer. As she clicked on the files, specifically the Ds, she looked and there wasn't much surprise as there were only Jessica and Jason's files, again. She whispered out, barely, "Deleted."

Cece surprised her when the older girl reached out, pointing to the trash icon at the bottom of the screen. Alison frowned behind her mask. It was unlikely that –A hadn't already emptied the trash, but she supposed it wouldn't hurt to try.

She clicked on the trash and looked and her mouth dropped open, fingers freezing at the keys. She could almost feel the fear and apprehension rolling off the two older girls behind her. There, amongst the few deleted items, still very much there for really anyone to see, not emptied at all, was a file on Alison. And Alison's name wasn't the only one there.

Alison's heart thumped as she looked at the names on the file.

Well, now she understood what the words, "closer than you think" meant. Yes, -A _was_ closer than she thought. Much closer.

That file was her birth certificate. Her birth certificate, and one other's.

The names on the file read, _"Alison Lauren DiLaurentis and Courtney Erin DiLaurentis."_

 **So yeah. There's that "big reveal." Unfortunately, don't you think it's a little odd that –A "Courtney" wouldn't delete the item? Seems kind of a weird –A thing to do, especially from the leader, right? I'm afraid it's a little more complicated than what I'm showing you. There's more to come, I assure you.**

 **And poor Shana and Cece too.**


	15. Everywhere I turn

**Chapter 15: Everywhere I turn**

 **Half a year ago:**

 **Season 2: Episode 14**

 **Greenhouse:**

 _A chill went up and down Alison's spine as she saw what –A saw. This shouldn't be possible. She knew it couldn't be, but it was. She was seeing through another person's eyes._

 _The greenhouse was so dark. She could barely see through the mask. But she did make out the figure and face of Emily, those shining brown eyes staring back at her. She saw her music box in Emily's hands as the brunette approached the menacing hooded figure._

" _You listen to us." Emily said, "You're always listening. You know you made a mistake, don't you? It must be driving you crazy. You're afraid we found something, something in this box. Something about you. Do you want to know what we found? Do you want to know what you're afraid of? The clearly nervous Emily opened the box, revealing it to be empty. "Nothing." She remarked, face suddenly becoming cocky, "We found nothing. We lied to you, and you believed us. That was your mistake."_

 _Alison knew all too well that this was not going to end well. She could FEEL the fury filling her thoughts. The fury that belonged to –A. This person who she was tied to. She could feel the thoughts. The rage. A horrible, sickening feeling spread itself out in Alison's stomach. Emily had to run. Now. Emily was going to die. She was sure of it. –A intended to kill her for this injury. She tried to open her mouth and scream at Emily to run, but she couldn't. It was someone else's mouth. Someone who had no intention of letting Emily get away._

 _All too soon, the rage was out and whoever the owner of the mind that Alison was in suddenly lunged towards the now rightfully terrified Emily. The dark-haired teenager gasped as she tried to flee but –A grabbed her. The scuffle was strenuous, long and destructive. Emily swung around and –A grabbed something, swinging it at the girl, but Emily dodged it. –A jumped at her again and they both crashed to the ground. Alison felt everything. She felt the cold, hard impact of the greenhouse's dirty floor. She felt –A get up off the floor and jump on top of Emily. She felt the hard contact with Emily's body, straddling the brunette, hand gripping the pinned teenager's throat. Alison felt the warmth from Emily's neck._

 _Horror struck Alison hard when she saw-when the person who's head she was in saw what lay on the floor. A very sharp trowel of some kind. Immediately, she felt the thrill of bloodlust and pleasure that this –A felt. She knew immediately what –A was going to do with that trowel-what they wanted to do with it. The trowel was soon scooped up in –A's right hand, arching it upwards._

 _Alison was sure she was crying._

 _No. Oh god, no. Not this. Watching one of the girls die right in front of her, she could FEEL it happen and she couldn't do a thing to stop it! "No!" Emily cried, struggling in the animal's grip, "No!" Thankfully, there was the sound of the door opening and both Spencer and Aria came barging in, armed, something Alison was VERY grateful for, forcing –A to leap off Emily and drop the trowel, backing away, the three girls, Emily included, advancing._

 _The black hooded figure backed up, when suddenly-_

" _Ali! Ali!_ ALI!"

Alison jumped out of her haze, eyes now viewing the sight, not of the greenhouse and the armed Spencer and Aria and the shaken up Emily, but three sets of concerned eyes staring at her, ready to lunge to her and hug her or grab her and drag her to the hospital, despite the risk of Alison being recognized. Alison shook her head, stunned. "I…" She mumbled, shocked. "I….Duncan, Cece, Sam…..what the hell is going on?"

"We were hoping you'd tell _us_ that." Duncan said, blue eyes full of fear and concern. "Ali, what's going on? You were in a trance of some kind. You looked really scared just now. Are you okay? You're crying." Alison shook her head, feeling numb, images replaying in her mind. "I don't know." Alison stared at a particularly wide crack on the wall, "Maybe I'm losing it." She raised a hand and pressed it to her eyes. Horror struck her at her weakness. She _had_ been crying. "Ali?" Sam's concerned voice brought her attention back to them. She was about to smile at the very disturbed Cece when-

"Aaaah!" Alison cried, gripping her side, face contorting in pure pain, dropping off where she sat on the blue sofa, on her knees, pain rippling throughout the left side of her body.

It felt like something powerful and fast had hit her side, hard. "Ali!" Both Cece and Duncan cried, and Sam cried out, "Dana!" The three of them all gathered around where she was crumpled on the floor. Duncan's hands went to Alison's back in worry, trying to steady her. Alison flinched, gripping her side. What was that? It was like she had been hit with a sledgehammer or something. Slowly, Alison lifted herself up to her feet, sensing Sam, Cece and Duncan backing away to give her space. She opened her eyes and looked around. Everything looked normal. There was just the small room and her three friends and family members terrified for her. She stared at them. "I think I just had the most messed up dream ever."

"Dream?" Cece remarked, lifting an eyebrow, mouth quirking in a dry smile, "That was some dream. You looked like you were hypnotized or something. I've never heard of a dream that makes someone get hurt in the side." Cece narrowed her eyes to where Alison was gripping her abdomen. "We should look at that."

Alison glanced down at her side, hand stroking over the lavender and white blouse over her stomach. Cautiously, she lifted it up, revealing the left side of her ribcage. She blinked. It didn't _look_ like there was anything there. She wasn't injured.

She furrowed her eyes, dropping the hem of her shirt without looking at the other three. "It wasn't real." Her mind wandered, panicked when she remembered what –A had almost done to Emily. She lifted her head, locking eyes with Duncan. "Dunc, I need you to go to Rosewood and check on the girls, now. I don't know what I saw, but please, make sure they're okay."

Duncan, startled for a moment, nodded. "Okay. If it makes you feel better, alright." Alison nodded quickly, "Thanks." Sam and Cece were staring at her. "Ali," Cece said, stepping forward and taking her sister's hand in hers, "You feeling okay, sweetie?"

Alison glanced at Sam and Cece, eyes widening when she heard glass shattering out of nowhere, even though there was no glass in the room, her left fist suddenly aching. "I don't know." She admitted quietly.

 **Present day:**

 **The Base: "Misery loves Company":**

Alison faced everyone in the room, the newly printed birth certificate of herself and…this "Courtney" in her hands. Her mask was off on the desk, the black hood pulled back, revealing the rest of her hair as she looked at Noel, Cece and Shana.

Alison was glad Cece had returned. After they had come back from the Town Hall, Cece had wandered out in the morning as a Redcoat to check on Hanna. Now she had returned and Alison could tell there was something bothering the older blonde. She was about to ask when Noel spoke up.

"A twin." Noel said at last, eyes huge, "You have a freaking twin? And she might be –A?" Alison shook her head. "I know how crazy it sounds. But think about it. I had that weird vision of –A at the greenhouse, almost killing Emily. And then I felt this huge pain in my side and I find out that Hanna hit –A with her car. Not to mention, I actually _saw_ through –A's eyes when the grave was dug up. I saw through –A's eyes when the coffin was opened and the body was stolen. Then there's the fact that I can feel –A's pain. And that I heard a girl's voice in my head." Alison winced at that last part. Dammit. She knew how crazy she was sounding. Honestly, she wasn't sure how much of this she herself believed, either.

"I just…..you realize how that sounds, right?" Noel said, shoulders lowering, now incredibly worried eyes not tearing from Alison. The blonde sighed, dropping both her arms to her side, right hand still gripping the birth certificate. "I know, I know." She grumbled, "But shouldn't we look at all possibilities? And lets face it, my family's fucked up as hell. A sibling in Radley wouldn't be the weirdest thing."

Noel sighed, regarding his sister carefully, "Is there _any_ possibility at all that if you do have a twin, that she might be the one that they buried instead of you?"

Alison shook her head. "I thought of that already. But it can't be. It doesn't check out. I've been having these visions or whatever, with -A for a while now. And it was _after_ the body was found. Which means that if this connection is a twin connection, she's still alive."

"A sibling in Radley, sure," Cece said, "But a twin? This is getting out of control. And you're really betting on a lot right now. And if your twin was in Radley, why weren't you? Were you so different that one of you was insane, and you were just manipulative? What, did Jessica mess you both up in different ways?"

Alison rolled her eyes. To be fair, Cece's ranting, while meant to be disbelieving, did make sense. Maybe Courtney had just been mentally unbalanced the moment she was born or maybe she had been so messed up by their mother that she inevitably had to be put away. It made a lot of sense if one really thought about it. Why else was –A so fixated on her and the four girls? Maybe Courtney was envious.

Alison shrugged. "I don't know, okay? Maybe Courtney is jealous. Maybe she's angry that I had a more or less normal life while she was locked up. Maybe that's what this has all been about. Maybe Courtney thinks I got the good end of the deal. This is revenge."

Noel, Cece and Shana looked at each other. Shana began, "Sure, that sounds like a good theory, but why would –A just leave that document on the computer? Why not empty the trash? Why would –A let us find it? You don't think this is just a little suspicious at all? Alison crossed her arms over her chest, irritation leaking out of her expression. As much as she hated to say it, Shana had a good point. "Shana, come on. You saw that girl in your memory. Are you going to tell me that you're doubting your own memories now? I've never thought of you as someone that wouldn't trust yourself."

Shana waved her hand. "Not that. I might have seen another girl. But it might not have been your twin. I might have made that part up because you told me it might be a twin. You realize just how much we're grasping here, right? What if this Courtney DiLaurentis doesn't even exist? It really would be the first time –A has created a document that we went on and lead to a dead end."

Alison groaned. Well, Shana was right about that. And maybe she _was_ right about this being a fake document. Maybe there _was_ no twin. But…..

"Maybe you're right." Alison offered, earning a startled look from all three of her siblings, "Maybe you're right. Maybe there is no twin sister of mine. But that still doesn't explain how I can see through –A's eyes. That still doesn't explain how I know some of what –A knows."

Noel shrugged. "I don't know. Well, at least that _would_ explain Victoria and Jul-"

"Noel!" Alison hissed, a surge of panic hitting her before she could help herself, eyes wide. Noel stepped back. "Sorry." He looked down at the floor, flustered for a moment. No matter how sure they were that –A hadn't bugged this place and that they hadn't been followed, they couldn't risk –A knowing about… _them._ And Noel did have a good point. Whether Alison liked it or not, it would explain Victoria and Julia. Thinking about those two little girls, she silently hoped that the Bakers were taking good care of the two babies she had left in their care, desperate that –A and Darren Wilden wouldn't find them.

After thoroughly receiving glares from all three girls in the room, Noel lifted his head and said, "Okay, lets go with the possibility that –A is your twin. Lets assume for a second that there _is_ a Courtney DiLaurentis. How are we going to prove this? Are we just going to drop the document off at the police's office? We know how useful they are. And unlike Lyndon, this really is an –A thing. Possibly. Are we supposed to tell the girls? You know they won't believe a _thing_ I say." Cece rolled her eyes, cocking her head towards the teenager. "And whose fault is that for acting as shady as hell just because he finds it funny?" Noel stiffened for a second before smirking. "Good point." He chuckled shamelessly, receiving a roll of Cece's aggravated eyes. Alison smirked, sighing. Cece nodded, "They're suspicious of me too. And they don't even _know_ Shana."

Alison reached up into her mane and buried her fingers into them, ghosting them over her scalp. What were they supposed to do? Just leave a copy of this at all four girls' houses, hoping they they'd see it and think that Courtney was –A?

She thought about giving it to Margo and Margo offering it to the girls. Unfortunately, that would just bring suspicion to Margo and put the wild haired girl _right_ smack on –A's radar. She couldn't risk that.

"Well," She said, pulling out the USB drive she had saved the birth certificate on in her left hand, "I have this. I can email it to them. See what happens."

Cece's eyes landed on the USB drive and she grinned. "Ali, you're amazing. Good idea. But it has to be one hell of an ambiguous email." The older blonde's grin widened, "Don't worry about it. I'll come up with one fast."

Alison smiled. Her eyes then narrowed at the sudden frown on Cece's face. "Ali," Cece began slowly, "Don't get upset, but while you were texting Noel and Margo for them to come over and I was out…something happened with Hanna." Alison's eyebrows flared with concern, looking at the older in alarm. As soon as Alison shoved the USB drive in her pocket, she could see that Cece knew she meant business. Cece said, looking nervous, biting her lower lip, "Hanna was called to a job interview. I'm pretty sure it was fake. And she saw my reflection in the window as Redcoat. When she went in, I think –A attacked her." Alison's teeth clenched and she stared. At the fury on her sister's face, Cece raised her hands reassuringly, "I saw Hanna come out of the store, okay? She was shaken up but she didn't look like she was harmed. –A ran out before she did. But Hanna's fine. I promise."

Alison sighed. When did getting attacked but just leaving someone shaken up, become "fine" in their definition? Boy, things had gotten morbid. Before she could say anything however, a fast, rapid knock shot through the wood of the door, startling all four of the residents in the building. The four of them looked at each other nervously. All of them tensed, ready for a possible fight, when they heard a familiar voice call through.

"Guys, it's me! I need to tell you something!" Alison breathed out, recognizing Margo's voice. Speak of the devil.

Shana smiled, walking over and opened the door. And as usual, a panicked and worried Margo ran inside, looking around frantically, taking off her porcelain hawk mask. "Close the door!" The shaggy-haired girl said quickly. Shana, confused, closed the door and locked it. "Were you followed?" Shana inquired, tensing up again and eyes traveling to her hunting knife on the table.

"No." Margo shook her head, "Just a precaution. But Ali," Margo looked at Alison urgently, "One of us needs to get to Aria's house, fast." Alison straightened immediately, Aria's name bringing alarm fast. "Why?" She asked her friend. Margo's pale face deepened in an angry frown, "Remember that woman that Aria's father cheated on his wife with? Meredith? She's with Aria now. And I think…..you know your diary? I'm pretty sure the girls have it. And I think Meredith is looking for the pages about Byron-when you were blackmailing him, I mean."

Alison started at that. Her diary. She hadn't thought that it would be found, but it looked like she hadn't hidden it as well as she thought she had. Her stomach turned at the thought of Aria seeing those pages. Little Aria finding out that she had been blackmailing the brunette's father.

Alison flinched, glaring away from her siblings, pained expression fixed on her face as she thought of Aria having to suffer, Aria feeling betrayed at Alison's blackmail-hurting the other girl's family. She winced. She supposed if this was justice, then so be it.

She turned back to Margo, grimacing. "So?" She shrugged, "If Aria finds the pages about me blackmailing Byron, maybe she should know the truth." Margo shook her head, "It's not just that. I think Meredith's trying to find the pages before Aria does. Or at least Aria has the pages and Meredith's trying to destroy the pages. Ali, I think Meredith might be drugging Aria to keep her from stopping her."

Alison processed this, stunned. "What?" She demanded, frowning lips hardening into an angry line, "What did you say Meredith's doing? Drugging Aria?"

Margo nodded, floppy hair flying, "Yeah. I saw her when I was outside the house. Meredith was putting sleeping pills-a really strong amount into this tea she gives Aria."

Anger, burning fury that Alison had become so accustomed to shot through the blonde. Wrongdoing to Aria's family or not, whether it was –A, Lyndon or whoever the hell, no one got away with hurting the girls. Ever. Her teeth flashed with rage. "How long has this been happening?!" Margo winced. "A few days now. I didn't look closely enough at what Meredith was giving Aria, so I didn't think anything of it at the time, and Aria was moving around fine the day before at Rosewood High, but then I noticed how tired Aria got whenever she took the "medicine." That bitch is drugging Aria, Ali. We have to get over there."

Alison's eyes hardened and she put the file down on the table. As she went over to her redcoat and mask on the other side of the room, Noel snorted, "For god's sake, can't those girls stay out of trouble for two days?!"

Alison chuckled, keeping the elastic straps of the bag holding Spencer's file close to her. As she did, she noticed Margo going over to the file on the table. "What's this?" The shaggy-haired young woman asked, "Courtney?" Alison chuckled, "Don't ask. We'll explain later. Possibly a sibling that was thrown in Radley."

Margo stiffened and looked at the file and then back at Alison, then shifted her eyes to Cece, Noel and Shana. Shana shrugged as she walked back over to Alison. "I know." Cece laughed, "Don't ask. It'll just hurt our heads again." Margo snorted, "Right. Well, I checked out what you said about trying to find anything on –A at Radley, Ali." Alison turned to her sister, putting her crimson coat under her right arm, her two masks in each hand. Margo began, "I kept close to Radley and listened in to some conversations. It turns out, there's been something weird going on with the keycards. Apparently people have been able to get in and out without supervision. I think that means that the A-Team has the keycards."

Noel looked stunned for a moment. "That explains what Toby had on him."

Four pairs of eyes swiveled to Noel in question. Now smiling sheepishly, Noel answered, "When I was near Spencer's house, I saw Toby go inside. He was carrying a keycard of some kind on him. When I looked through the window, hiding in the bushes, I saw him put it in the drawer of a kitchen cabinet. It didn't have Toby's actual name on it. It said 'Eddie Lamb.'"

"Eddie Lamb." Alison repeated. She looked at the others. "Does that sound familiar to anyone?" All four people shook their heads, not seeming to recognize it. "Okay," Alison said aloud, eyes drawn in thought, "The keycards. We need that keycard. I want to find out if we can find anything on –A in Radley. I'm going to get that keycard after I make sure Aria's safe. Noel, your job is to watch Toby. Text me if he goes to Spencer's place. I'll get out before he can find me. But I need to get that keycard. Margo, you're with me."

She turned to Cece and Shana. "You better go back to your jobs before people get suspicious."

Cece and Shana both looked like they wanted to argue, but one look at their little sister, they knew they wouldn't win any argument. Not about this. They both nodded. Noel shrugged, uncertainty on his face. "Alright, spying on Toby it is."

Alison turned to Margo, still robed in back, her white grinning man mask in her hands, starting to put her leopard mask on. "Ready, Mar?" Margo smiled, nodding.

Before anyone else could say anything, Cece piped up, "What about that?" The older blonde looked down at the birth certificate. Alison shrugged, picking it up, staring at the name "Courtney," "I don't know. I don't know how genuine it is. But it's something. I'll hold onto it until we get back. Then we're Xeroxing this thing. We'll see then and we'll get to the email. But for now, I'll hold it."

She closed the folder, walked towards the door, keeping her back to her siblings, pulling her bag off, bringing it to her front and opening it, aware that all four Margo, Cece, Noel and Shana were staring, trying to figure out what was so important in it.

Alison opened it quickly, taking notice of Spencer's file and stuffed her and possibly Courtney's birth certificate into the bag next to Spencer's file, quickly closing the bag back up and securing it back on her, arms through the loop. She turned to the others and went over to the pile of plastic contained throwaway phones. She broke two open and tossed one to both Noel and Shana. At their questioning looks, Alison said, "Noel, I want you to stay in contact with Maya and tell her to stay close to Emily. Delete the message after you send it. But don't tell her to do anything too risky yet. Shana, I gave instructions to Sam and Kira to steal some throwaway phones and a certain number. This is the number. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper with writings on it, handing it to Shana. Shana took it and smirked, pocketing it.

"Contact Sam and Kira after they call you if they hang up." Alison said, and be very careful. Tell them to meet here." Shana nodded.

"Sam's coming?" Noel asked, grinning, "Awesome." Alison smirked. "I thought you'd like that. She heard a nervous mumble from Margo, "Kira's coming too?" She looked sympathetically at Margo. Margo was kind of scared of Kira. Kira was just a bit too unpredictable for her. Which was strange, as Margo could deal with Alison herself _._ "It'll be fine Margo." Alison said, placing a gentle hand on Margo's arm and squeezing. Margo smiled. Margo didn't know this but Kira actually liked Margo, so really, there wasn't anything to worry about.

With a gentle smile, she nodded to Margo. "Lets go." She looked to the others, "Leave a few hours after us. We can't have –A seeing us in the forest all at once." She received nods from the others.

 **(Page Break)**

 **Aria's House:**

Having discarded her coat, her black hoodie, her mask and weapons, leaving them in the black car Margo kept hidden in the brush, not wanting to alarm Aria in any way, should the small girl awaken, Alison sucked in a breath as she walked upstairs to Aria's room, knowing that Shana said she had seen the girls with the doll in Aria's room. She gripped the elastic ropes of the bag holding Spencer's Radley file close, it seeming to be now a permanent extra appendage that she couldn't part with.

She placed one black booted foot in front of the other as she went up the stairs, trying to be as quiet as she could manage. She knew Meredith was around here somewhere. She had kept at least one slim knife on her, strapped to her right leg in case she had an encounter with the psycho. With each step up the stairs, with each step in the hallway as the lightning flashed outside, making the atmosphere similar to a horror movie's, Alison swallowed at the thought of Aria waking up and seeing her.

What would she do? If Aria knew about Alison blackmailing Byron, would she tell Alison that she hated the blonde? Would she scream at her? Tell her that she was glad that she was dead? Alison hoped Aria wouldn't hate her too much, but she knew that the small brunette had a temper. No one would dare think it given how small the girl was, but boy, Aria had a temper. If anyone had to ask, all Alison had to do was think of that day at Byron's office. Aria trashing the place and writing angrily on the walls as Alison had watched with glee. Alison shivered, more and more guilt piling on. More she had to be ashamed of. God. The earrings.

The earrings that Alison _herself_ had planted, hoping to see Aria explode, and god, the smaller girl _had_. Aria had done exactly what Alison had wanted when she had put her own earrings right there on the loveseat of Byron's office, making it obvious that Byron had had someone in there recently.

Alison grimaced. So much guilt took her at that moment, nearing Aria's door. She knew that those earrings had been pulled out of the coffin when the coffin had been unearthed. Did Aria suspect that Alison had planted the earrings? Did she hate Alison, like she probably should? Alison pushed down the need to cry. She tried to contain her tears as she pulled the door open, looking in.

There. There she was. On her side, seeming asleep, under her blanket. Alison felt the swell of utter affection as she usually did when saw one of the girls. Silently, she slipped into the room, shifting over to Aria's closet, aware of the compartment there. She opened the closet and shuffled the contents around, finally finding the doll dressed in white with curls of golden hair. She scowled at it. The very first doll she had ever received from –A. Morbid just how it resembled her.

She shivered at the thought of –A, specifically, her twin, possibly, giving this to her.

She opened the compartment in the back of the doll, finding the rolled up paper. She knew what this was. It was the papers on Byron. This she would take for later. She'd hold it for now, but later she'd leave it to Aria. It was Aria's choice to do with it what she wanted. She was not going to make the girls' decision for them. Not anymore. But right now she was going to take this so Meredith didn't get her hands on it.

As she started walking towards the door, she heard a sleepy, groggy, soft voice call out, "What are you doing?" Alison stiffened and turned around, schooling her fearful, guilty features into one of a gentle smile. "I'm taking back what's mine."

The warmth in her chest spread when she saw Aria's stunned face. "Is this a dream?" The brunette asked. Alison's smile stretched with affection as she walked over slowly, "No, sweetie. I'm more real than I've ever been." Aria sat up on her hands, a smile beginning to appear on her face. "Tell me what it's like." Aria urged, sitting back, eyes amazed, "Tell me everything." Alison tried not to laugh. The afterlife. Alison had no idea. She imagined that for _her_ when she eventually went there, if there _was_ an afterlife, it was going to be terrible. She didn't have any idea what the true afterlife was, but if there was a Hell, she was quite certain she was headed for it.

"Well," Alison began, ignoring her terrible thoughts as she sat down on the bed, "I don't know who said knowledge was king. Some old fart, probably." Alison smirked at that, cocking her head at Aria. "But he was right." Alison smiled sadly, knowing at that moment that that saying was more right than pretty much anything else she had heard in her life, "I see everything now." She understood so much more now. All the things she thought she understood in her cruel arrogance, it was foolish and superficial. She understood so much. "I missed so much when I was here." So much she hadn't realized. Like how precious Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily were to her.

"Do you see "A?"" Aria asked, almost whispering, desperation in soft eyes.

"Everywhere I turn." Alison admitted sadly, thinking of every time she had looked in a mirror. They had no idea how close –A might actually be. Even if her twin was in fact –A, there were many followers of her sister that the girls didn't know about. She tried not to growl as she thought of Toby and Melissa. And hell, who knew how Wren was involved? "So do you. You all do. I'm surprised Spencer hasn't figured that out."

Alison looked down at the doll and pages in her hands. She couldn't look at Aria too long like this. See how helpless and vulnerable the brunette was at the moment. It just made Alison want to hold and protect the smaller girl. As she unfolded the pages, she heard Aria's quiet question come out, "Did it really happen what you wrote in those pages? Were you blackmailing my dad?" Alison was glad for once that Jessica had mercilessly trained her daughter into forcing her expression into neutral ones. If her awful mother hadn't, Alison knew she'd be crumpling to the ground and crying for forgiveness from Aria by now.

She swung her head up, forcing a smile. "Byron's really coming around, isn't he? I mean when the chips were down with Ezra's mom and-" she looked down, having to avert her gaze from Aria's. "Ali," The brunette implored, forcing Alison to look back at the smaller, "I need to know the truth."

"If I tell you the truth, you don't have to believe it." Alison said quietly, feeling what little strength she had left leave her.

Aria gave Alison a pleading look. "Please." The brunette whispered. Finally, Alison folded, looking at Aria, hoping, even if it was a futile hope, that the brunette wouldn't hate her. "I was desperate for that money." And there was the truth. Maybe she couldn't flat out say yet, "I blackmailed Byron," but she could at least confirm even if it was by implications that she had in fact done it. Maybe one day she would have the resolve to confess to Aria about the planting of the earrings too.

Aria shook her head, disbelief in her sad eyes, "How could you do that to my family? To me?" Alison's sad words came out, the guilt pangs hitting her with a vengeance at the sight of Aria's sad eyes, "It was just a threat. I never called your mom." It was the truth, even though she knew it wouldn't make anything better at all. Just more excuses.

Aria's face then became cautious as she asked something Alison suspected the smaller didn't want to ask. "Did my dad kill you?"

This time, Alison felt a wide smile stretch over her face. Finally, a more or less positive answer she could give. Byron wasn't capable of murder. Even attempted murder. Besides, even if he had been, there just hadn't been enough time to get from the Montgomery house to the DiLaurentis lawn. Not where Alison had been coming from after seeing Ian off.

Alison just quirked out, "Do I look dead to you?"

It wasn't an admittance that she was alive, no. But would Aria even believe it if she said that she was alive? Aria perhaps still thought she was dreaming. She saw the confusion in those eyes now and Aria sighed, turning to get a porcelain cup of tea, not seeming to understand any of what she had heard.

Alison's eyes went to the tea kettle, remembering what Margo said.

She laid a gentle hand on Aria's arm, "I wouldn't drink that." Aria's eyes scrunched in confusion. "Why?"

Alison sighed, "Meredith's looking for these pages too."

Knowing that she had warned Aria as much as she could, Alison started to pick herself up off the bed, ready to start planning what to do about Meredith with Margo, when a hand gripped Alison's left wrist. "Wait." Aria pleaded, making Alison freeze. "Please stay."

Alison's heart leapt at those words. Aria wanted her to stay? "You want me to stay?" Alison asked, stunned, her guard, for the moment, completely down. Aria nodded, eyes downcast. "Please. Don't leave again. I don't know where you are. But please stay. Even if you _are_ a ghost."

Alison sighed, sitting back down, smiling at the hopeful look on Aria's face as a result. "I'm not a ghost, sweetheart. I know it's hard to understand, and I honestly don't believe most of this myself." Alison breathed out, feeling the words coming out slowly, "I'm not dead, Aria. I'm very much alive." There, she said it. The first time since Noel and Cece had discovered she was alive where she had been truly honest about her living or dead status. She wondered actually how the girls hadn't gotten suspicious about her little "visits" to them yet. She observed how Aria was taking it. She saw the confusion and the disbelief. Finally, Aria smiled, shaking her head. "Very funny, Ali." She said, looking away, "One last joke, huh? Always playing games. Even when you're gone." Aria's expression sobered, "I miss you."

Alison winced. The words hurt. She supposed it was karma that she was telling the truth this time and Aria didn't believe her. Then again, it was kind of hard to believe her when there _was_ in fact a body, right? At the words, "I miss you," another pang hit her. She missed Aria too. All of the girls. So much. But it was worse because Aria deserved to know the truth. Maybe she could finally say it. Alison smiled again. "How about this?" She said, watching as the curious Aria looked back at her, "How about I tell you something that you might already suspect? I can be straight and honest with you. About those earrings we found, at your dad's office." She waited for the inquiring look she suspected Aria would give her. Aria didn't have it.

There was just a sad, knowing expression.

"You put those earrings there, didn't you?" Aria said quietly.

Alison's mouth dropped. "You knew?" She asked, startled. At the unsurprised shrug from Aria, her mouth dropped more. "I guessed it. I realized it as soon as Meredith told me that those earrings weren't hers. She might have been lying, but what reason did she have? You wanted me to snap, didn't you?" Alison flinched. There it was. that was the truth. Complete and utter truth. She had wanted to see Aria explode. She had wanted to see the smaller girl snap and unleash her wrath. At the time she had rationalized that she was getting revenge for the brunette for how upset the smaller had been when seeing Byron and Meredith in the car together, but now she knew better.

"Yes." She said sadly, "That's exactly what happened. I'm-"

Before she could say she was sorry, like she had been wanting to for almost two and a half years now, there was the loud banging of a door behind them, making both girls jump and Alison whirled around, staring out the open door. "What was that?" Aria asked. Alison stood up cautiously, unsure. She glanced down at Aria. Aria was likely still weak from the drug. "Stay here a moment." She said quietly, walking towards the door. She left the doll on Aria's bed, dropping the papers onto the bed as well in front of Aria. She sensed Aria looking up at her in surprise. Alison looked back at the small girl.

"Do whatever you want with those pages. But your father didn't kill me. He didn't even attack me. He doesn't have it in him." She turned back to the door, keeping her hand close to her concealed long knife, other hand tugging at the strings holding the bag with her and possibly "-A's" birth certificate and Spencer's Radley file closer. She slipped out the door, looking down the hall and then to the other side. There was no one. But she knew Meredith was somewhere in the building.

She looked back at the frightened and confused Aria, who had picked up the pages that Alison's "story" was in.

Alison checked back down the hall. Aria still thought she was dead. How was she going to protect Aria from Meredith and then get away from Aria to get to Spencer's house if Aria really thought she was a ghost? Her hand traveled to her other pocket where her throwaway phone was. Maybe she could contact Margo and get the other girl to come out from where she was hiding near the Montgomery house and deal with Meredith. She checked back over her shoulder at Aria. But she had to make sure Aria wasn't caught in the crossfire.

Meredith. A wry smile touched her lips. Looks like she hadn't been entirely wrong about good old "Mere-death." A bunny boiler, indeed.


	16. Being Alive has its Consequences

**Warning people-Angst in this chapter, at the end. So much angst**

 **Chapter 16: Being Alive has its Consequences**

She heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Alison raised her hand gently, looking at Aria. "It's alright. I'll be right back." She glanced down the hall, then back at the brunette. "Meredith wants those pages. She's not just going to settle with drugging you, especially if you know now." Alison hesitated before adding, "You might want to grab something to protect yourself with."

Getting an alarmed look from Aria, Alison slipped down the hall, careful. She glanced at each side of the hall, across from where she stood. The shadows flinging up and down the walls from the writhing tree branches outside provided only cover from any shape that she was hoping to make out to see if Meredith was closing in. She cautiously turned the corner and began walking down the steps. She stopped at the fourth step down when she saw a woman's shadow shooting up along the floor, coming near the stairs. Alison hissed, backing up and hiding behind the wall.

She saw a slim leg step out behind the wall of the stairs, followed by a head of blonde hair.

Meredith. She was getting close. Alison practically clung her hand to her side pocket containing her long knife. She waited for Meredith to turn the corner, when a hand lay on Alison's shoulder, making the blonde jump and turn, eyes landing on Aria. The small girl looked as surprised as she probably did.

"Ali?" Aria asked, "What's going on?" Alison raised a finger to her lips, whispering, "Shh. Meredith. She's coming up." She nodded back to Aria's room. "Go, quick." Aria bit her lower lip, not sure what to do. The fact that she was talking to what she believed to be a "ghost," obviously left her with many questions. But Aria ran to her room, looking back at Alison every now and then, who was backing up slowly down the hall. Alison quickly scooted back into the room with Aria. She knew this probably wasn't a good idea. Allowing herself to be backed away, cutting off their escape routes? Alison turned her head to the window of Aria's room.

"Have you ever climbed down out of this window?" Alison asked Aria, nodding to the window. Aria looked at the window, then back at Alison, eyes furrowing. The brunette turned back to Alison, startled. "You're not serious." Aria said, staring, perplexed at Alison. "That's a 'no' then." Alison said, chuckling, turning back to the door and seeing a thin shadow start to stretch out over the wall. She scowled. Great. The "psycho of the week" was closing in on them. And while Meredith seeing her might be laughed off as the blonde going insane, both Meredith and Aria seeing Alison might be brought into question.

"Aria," Alison said gently, "Is there any mirror you don't value in this room?"

Aria gave Alison a confused look but Alison still stared questioningly. "Um." Aria said nodding, "Sure." She walked over and grabbed a small mirror, showing it to Alison. Alison smiled, taking it as she heard the footsteps coming closer. She laid the mirror on Aria's desk and grabbed the brunette's hairbrush. She smashed the handle of it down on the mirror, watching as it cracked all over. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Aria stepped back. Alison dropped the hairbrush, grabbed a cloth on the desk and picked up one of the shards with the cloth, wrapping the cloth around one end of the shard, handing it to Aria.

"Here." She said, smiling encouragingly. Aria hesitated before taking the shard into her hands. Alison turned her head to the closet and whispered to Aria as she was sure Meredith was getting closer. "Aria, I need you to be very, very brave and clever. As brave and as clever as I know you always have been." She watched as Aria's eyes became startled at the praise. Alison smiled. "I need you to distract Meredith and promise her the papers. Lead her to the closet. I'll deal with her when you do. But make sure her back is to the closet, understand?"

She knew that she was asking a lot, considering this was someone that had recently been locked in a crate with a dead body and almost flung from a train and was still probably slightly drugged, but she needed Aria to cooperate here. They had to stop Meredith. If she was willing to drug Aria repeatedly, there might be a possibility that she was willing to do other things to make sure Aria didn't keep those pages from her.

Alison backed up, looking to the left as she saw a shape coming closer against the wall of the hallway, aware that Meredith was very close now as she went and hid in the closet, closing the white doors in front of her, smiling at the startled Aria. Once the doors were closed, she squinted through the wooden slanted bars out at Meredith who just entered the room. Aria hid the shard of glass behind her back. "Do you have the papers?" Meredith asked Aria, voice so soft and gentle that it made Alison sick. "Sure." Aria said quickly, "Want them?" Thankfully, Aria backed away towards the closet, body now inches from the doors.

"Aria," Meredith warned, "Don't play games. Be nice and hand over the papers." The blonde reached for Aria. Aria kept backing up till she and Meredith were so very close to the doors. Then Aria moved to the left. Alison smiled as Meredith predictably got incredibly close to the doors of the closet, her side to them, and she turned a little, looking at Aria, her back now to the closet. Alison grinned, grabbing the doors by the edges and shoving the doors outward, hard. The doors were swung open, both doors smacking Meredith in the head. Meredith cried out in both pain and alarm as she was sent backwards.

Alison jumped out, both arms wrapping around Meredith's throat from behind, chest and stomach pressed to the other blonde's back, applying pressure to the other's throat.

She felt hands scratching and hitting at her back and arms, but Alison remained stone faced. She was not going to let go until she was certain Meredith was unconscious. She pressed hard, till she felt Meredith kneeling down, groaning. She was brought to the floor with Meredith and she gradually unclenched her arms from around Meredith's neck, getting up and smirking down at where the now unconscious woman lay. She slowly lifted her head to look at Aria, who was staring at her in horror. Alison smiled sadly. "Are you still convinced I'm a ghost?" She asked.

Before another word was uttered, there was a loud knock at the door, making both girls jump and look out the door. Aria ran out and went down the hall. Alison sighed, following. She stood at the top of the stairs with Aria, looking down. She saw the window over the door. She saw Emily and Hanna. She grinned. Good. Aria would be in good hands then. As Aria turned to Alison in question, Alison shrugged. "Why are you looking at me? You know what to do. I won't stop you from letting Emily and Hanna in. Aria, still clearly not sure what to make of all this, walked down the steps. As Aria kept her back to Alison, the blonde smiled again and pulled away, going down the hall into Aria's room, going to Meredith and checking that she was unconscious for sure.

She was. Alison smirked, walking to Aria's window, jumped out onto the branches and climbed down easily. Once she was on the ground, she snuck through the yard into the front and checked through the door of the house, seeing four girls in the house. One was obviously Aria. But the other three were Hanna, Emily and….not Spencer.

It was Maya. Alison perked her head up and reached into her pocket, pulling out her throwaway phone and started texting Maya. As she sent her instructions, signed as "Red" to Maya, she watched as Maya pulled her phone out and looked at it, the black-haired girl turned and saw Alison in the yard and Alison nodded. Maya's eyes went wide, but did as Alison asked. The newest Redcoat began walking up the stairs with Emily and Hanna to Aria. Alison knew soon Maya would use that phone to type out the police's number in her phone to take Meredith. Alison turned and ran deep into the woods to get to Margo and the car.

Her message to Maya had read, _"Maya, please call the police. This won't be seen as important to the enemy. Meredith is just a psycho. You can tell the police about her. Just don't tell them that I'm alive and don't tell the girls you saw me. And only call the police after you've seen Meredith unconscious. Otherwise, Emily and the others will ask. Erase this message after you read it. By the way, I'm outside."-Red_

Alison knew she was taking a huge risk by trusting Maya, but it was hopefully a step in the right direction. She ran to the car, seeing Margo stooped over the wheel there. Margo caught sight of Alison and opened the car door. "Hey!" Margo exclaimed behind her mask, "So everything okay? Is Aria safe?" "Yeah," Alison grinned, "That nut job is unconscious and the cops are coming for her. Everything's fine." Margo chuckled, "Great."

Alison said, "Now we need to get that keycard." She lowered her voice, "To Spencer's place."

Margo nodded. "Gotcha. Lets go." The two of them went into the car and Alison grabbed the duffel bag at her feet, pulling out her redcoat and her mask.

 **(Page Break)**

 **Spencer's House:**

As they arrived, Margo drove up and hid the car miles from the Hastings house, hiding deep in the woods. A thicket of trees, bushes, and dirt mounds with springs flowing through them the cover for the car from view.

Alison, now all covered in her Redcoat, with her porcelain mask, the bag with Spencer's file and her and "Courtney's" birth certificate inside strapped to her back and hidden from view by Alison's coat. She got out and jumped onto the dirt, about to close the door, when Margo spoke up.

"Ali," Margo said leaning forward, "Be careful, okay? I don't know how much closer you can cut it. I'm surprised Aria doesn't know you're still alive. Make sure Spencer doesn't see you." Alison shook her head, "What do you think I am, a complete moron?" Even as Alison said it and close the door, she doubted it. With Spencer, she just couldn't think sometimes. But she had to get that keycard.

Alison nodded to Margo and backed through the trees and bushes, keeping her eyes on the car and Margo till they disappeared behind the brush and Alison turned her masked face back to the shadows and the rest of the forest. She had to move quickly. She hadn't seen Spencer with the other girls. She didn't know if that meant that Spencer was on her way or if the brunette was still at home, but she had to move fast. If she could get her hands on that keycard, she might not just have to slip in through the windows. Granted, She wouldn't be able to get through the front door either, given that her face was posted everywhere, but Noel or Duncan could.

Alison shifted through the trees, getting to the white, glass and wood door. She slipped a gloved hand into her pants pocket, pulling out a couple of picks. She inserted them into the lock of the doors. She twisted the picks around till she heard a soft "click." Even with the thunder roaring overhead, she still heard it. Smiling, she opened the door and slipped in.

Alison looked around beneath her pale, frightening mask. She saw no one. She turned towards the kitchen counter, remembering what Noel told her. She walked to the drawer and opened it, peering inside through her mask's eyeholes. Her eyes narrowed when she saw no keycard. Hmm….

Her gloved hands rummaged through the contents of the drawer. She pushed aside spatulas, ladles and wooden spoons, puzzled. Had Toby already taken it? Surely Noel, who she knew wouldn't have not followed the other boy, would have told her if he had seen Toby take it back.

Just as she was about to move to another drawer, she heard the most beautiful voice in the world speak behind her, "Are these what you're looking for, Redcoat?"

Alison froze, her heart stopping. Lifting her head, she slowly turned around. She stood there, stiff at the sight of who stood in front of her, holding the keycard up with a haughty look in brilliant brown eyes.

Spencer Hastings herself stood there, watching Alison (likely not knowing who it was under the mask and hood) holding the keycard and an odd key with a circular papery pendant on it with the letter "A" on it up in her left hand, eyes never leaving the crimson hooded figure before her.

"Well?" Spencer exclaimed, voice cool, "Aren't you going to try to take them from me?"

Alison breathed out, trying to stay calm. She had no idea what the key and the pendant were, but if they had the letter "A" on it, it couldn't be good. Okay, Spencer hadn't seen her face or taken her hood off. There was no way Spencer could know. But she had to get that keycard. She stepped forward, feet feeling heavy as she approached Spencer who looked more than ready for a fight. In that moment, Alison was left with a choice. She could try to break in without being detected like she had last time, when she had found Spencer's file. That had worked out surprisingly well. Or Noel or Duncan could use a keycard and leave no chance of being detected at all. Which would be the better plan?

Taking one more look at that determined expression on Spencer's face, a painful yearning shot through Alison. She wanted to try to take that keycard and that other key and pendent. She wanted to so much. It wasn't about getting into Radley without suspicion and finding out what that key went to. She wanted that fiery look thrown at her again. She missed Spencer. She missed how fierce Spencer looked, how utterly ready the brunette was to take on everything that threatened her. Her heart skipped a beat at how Spencer stared at her, fire in those orbs. It was the most beautiful sight in the world. More beautiful than any occurrence in nature, more beautiful than any painting, more beautiful than any ferocious animal-utterly stunning.

She wanted to dive for the keycard. She wanted Spencer to keep staring her down, she wanted that fire to rise between them like old times. She wanted to tempt fate. But even as she felt herself practically being hypnotized by what she wanted so much, she put a strong restraint on herself, knowing that she couldn't risk Spencer seeing her face. Whether she liked it or not, she turned and ran for the door. In only seconds, there were footsteps behind her and a grip like steel wrapped around her left wrist.

The hand yanked her, forcing her to whirl around and face the brunette. She tried to raise her right hand to cover her mask, but Spencer's other hand was faster. Before Alison could even process what happened, her mask was gripped and torn from her face, the strap keeping it on falling from her mane into her hood as her face was revealed to the brunette.

Time stopped. Shocked, brown eyes stared at her. Stared hard. Alison's heart matched the thunder outside. Her blood ran cold. Spencer's mouth parted. Shock and disbelief were the strongest emotions Alison could make out. " _Alison_?" Spencer barely whispered, face growing pale, the hand holding the keycard and the key with the "A" on it falling limply at her side. Alison felt the grip on her wrist slacken and before she knew it, that hand had released her completely. "You…," Spencer mumbled out, sounding like she couldn't believe what she was seeing, " _You're_ the one ordering around Mona and Toby? You're "-A?""

Alison's eyes widened. –A? That's what Spencer thought Redcoat was? No…

That was her other worst fear, only after the thought of anything happening to Spencer and the other girls. The fact that they'd think _she_ was –A. No…

She couldn't even feel relief that at least Spencer now knew that Toby couldn't be trusted because of the keycard.

"Spencer-" Before she could think better of it, she began to speak when a powerful, hard slap hit her across the face. Alison should have seen it coming, but her head was smacked to the side, eyes forced to stare at the shadowy, stormy night outside the doors. Alison grimaced, pain riddling her that had nothing to do with the slap as she slowly turned her head back to Spencer, now looking at the blonde as if Alison was a total stranger and it completely destroyed Alison to realize that that's probably exactly what Spencer thought of her as now.

Maybe even worse than being considered an enemy.

She didn't care how she looked right now. She didn't care that she probably looked like she was about to spill a million tears out onto Spencer's kitchen floor. Her face, she knew was contorted in pain as she looked at the brunette. Spencer seemed startled by the sight and stepped back. Alison wanted to say something. Anything. But what _could_ she say? Where did she even begin?

Somehow, Alison was sure saying things like, "I'm sorry," "It's a long story," "Please forgive me," "It's not what you think," "I've faked my death," "I'm on your side," "I'm not "A" and "My twin is the one doing this, but I don't know if she even exists," didn't quite cover anything, did it?

Still, Alison's mouth opened slowly in its grimace, trying to get words-any words out, when a woman's voice called out, "Spencer?" Alison froze again. Veronica. Crap, Spencer's mother was home. As Spencer turned away, also startled by the newcomer, Alison, despite more than sure she heard her heart breaking, she knew she had to run and fled out the door, not daring to look back at Spencer as she went through the doorway, unless she truly wanted to shed her tears, running into her love's backyard.

Only when she was hidden amongst the tree branches did she risk looking back. What she saw destroyed what little hold she had on her tears. Spencer, running into her mother's arms, dropping the mask-the porcelain face smashing on the kitchen floor, crying against the woman's chest. Alison couldn't stop the tears now. She felt them stream down her face at the sight and she turned and ran, unable to face herself.

She had hurt her Spencer. She had done something she swore she'd never do again. Alison ran. Ran through the trees and brambles, not caring that the sharp grasp of the branches scratched at her or that she nearly tripped over several arching tree roots. All her experience and training herself combat flew away as the agony of the memory of Spencer's pain stayed fresh in her mind as her feet trudged through the fallen leaves and wet grass.

She knew where the car was. Even in the darkness and the trees blocking her, she knew where it was. She went through all the brambles, the scratches and bruising from them feeling like a relief next to how she felt at seeing Spencer like that. Spencer would never trust her or see her as a friend. Alison brought her hands to her face, the hot moisture soaking into her palms. That was probably best for Spencer. At least the brunette would be safe away from someone like _her_. Spencer could hate her freely now without guilt.

Alison barely made out the black car hiding in the brush. She got through the bushes and ran to the side of it, almost unable to contain her cries. Margo saw her and jumped out of the car, pulling her mask off. "Ali?" She asked, going over, a gentle hand going to Alison's left shoulder, "Ali? You okay?" Alison pulled her head out of her hands, finally daring to face someone else, horror and pain etched into every facial feature, making Margo step back, shocked. "Ali….." Margo whispered, not believing what she was seeing.

Unable to stop herself, Alison hugged herself close to Margo, tears soaking into Margo's red coat as the black haired girl wrapped her arms around Alison. "Hey, hey, Ali. Ali." Margo was trying to soothe her sister, but Alison just couldn't stop. The agony had broken free and was spilling out, Spencer's hurt, confused and heartbroken face still fresh in her mind, and Alison was sure it always would be.

 **Yeah, sorry about that. Angsty Alison and angsty Spencer. The two of them break my heart.**


	17. Not Safe Anymore

**Chapter 17: Not Safe Anymore**

Margo had refused to let Alison go. She hugged the blonde close. She stared down at the younger girl. God, she had never seen Ali like this. "Ali." She breathed out sadly, stroking the younger one's gold hair. "Ali, what happened?" Alison shook her head against her fellow Redcoat's shoulder. "I don't want to talk about it." Alison almost whimpered out. Margo patted her sister's back. "Okay, sweetie, okay." Margo thought for a second about asking the younger where the girl's mask was, but right now, she knew wasn't the time. "Okay," Margo reassured, "Lets get you somewhere safe." She lead the blonde to the car, seating the younger into the passenger seat and sitting down into the driver's seat, starting the car up and driving off.

There was silence throughout the drive. Margo looked back nervously at the drained looking Alison, the blonde pressing her head against the car window, looking utterly depressed, not even bothering hiding her face from the rest of the world as they drove. "Ali," Margo started, "Could I at least get an idea of what happened? Where's your mask?"

Alison breathed out, somber face still present, "What do you think? I lost it. Can we just get to the base and get it over with?" Margo winced, hating how strained Alison sounded. The shaggy-haired young adult hated to think it but she knew there was only really one thing that could make Alison act like this besides her immediate family-regardless of blood or not. One of the girls must have seen Alison. And since they had been at Spencer's house….

Margo sighed, understanding filling her face. Oh.

This thought made Margo want to ask a whole new barrage of questions. What had Spencer said? Had the brunette been shocked that Ali was still alive? Had Spencer been happy that Alison was back? But she restrained herself. Given the state Alison was in, clearly it hadn't gone well. Or at least Alison didn't think it went well.

They neared the forest that lead to the base and both got out after they hid the car. They went through the forest and Margo was sure that Alison's steps weren't as quick and light as before. As they moved, Margo could see the anger beginning to snake its way onto Alison's face. The shaggy-haired young woman tried not to flinch. With Alison it could be anything. A reverse of the five stages of grief, a spontaneous explosion of rage, or just going silent and committing her manipulations quietly, possibly creeping even Noel out. You never really knew.

They got through the front door of the base and the first thing both young women saw was Kira and Sam standing by the table of the room, Sam looking under the table and at the bottom of the table and then at all the legs of the piece of furniture. Kira turned her black-haired head to the entering girls. She grinned. "Ali! Margo! Great to see you two!"

Alison's face brightened, much to Margo's joy. "Kira! So good to see you. And you, Sam!" Sam pulled her head out from under the table, grinning at Alison and Margo, long black hair falling nearly to her waist. "Well, Dana," Sam marveled as Margo and Alison came in and closed the door, "I think it's official. You get to say the line, "you're probably wondering why I gathered you all here today."" The brown skinned girl kept grinning, skateboard in her left hand and Alison slowly felt the biting agony at seeing Spencer the way she had an hour ago begin to be suppressed, if only a little. "Sam." She said, voice more endearing than she intended, "I'm glad you're here." Sam grinned, bolting forward and enveloping Alison in her arms, skateboard at the Redcoat's back.

"Dana…" Sam hesitated, "Ali," The name sounded strange to her, knowing who this girl she was hugging actually was as Sam parted from the other girl, "Great seeing you. Why'd it take you so long to call for me to come?" Alison rolled her eyes, "It's just been five weeks since we last saw each other. Really not that bad. Just a little over a month." Sam shook her head. "Yeah, well you should have called for us sooner." The dark haired girl grinned, "I actually want to smack my skateboard into these guys' heads now." Alison narrowed her eyes, though she was smirking playfully, "Sam, shush. I brought you two here for a specific reason. Not to create violence until later."

"Oh?" Sam asked, stepping back, nodding to Kira, "Then why did you ask for _her_ to come along?" Kira's black eyebrows shot up as she grinned at Sam, "Hey, watch it. I was just as worried as you were about Ali." Sam shrugged. "That's not the issue. The issue is you shoot first and ask questions never." The muscle bound New Yorker shrugged, smirking at Sam, "Hey, I have a reputation to uphold. If I don't put people in their places, how will people know to fear me?" Kira walked over, hugging Alison. The blonde smiled as she parted from the other girl, for now able to keep her tears at bay, the destroyed and lost look on Spencer's face for now kept under chains of restraint, despite the still lingering and swelling despair roiling in her stomach, chest and mind.

Alison nodded to them. "I really am glad you're both here. I've missed you. I know this is probably a little rude, but I'm afraid that I want to get down to it." Kira shrugged, still grinning, "Hey, it's what you called us for. So, what's happening? This –A weirdo is messing with those girls you're so soft on?" Alison chuckled. "Yes, Kira. That's one way of putting it."

"Okay, so what do you want us to do?" Kira asked, smirking in bravado, "Fuck them up?" Alison shook her head, giving a mock scolding, "No, Kira, no. Tempting as it is, no. I want you and Sam to hang around the girls. Be in places where they usually go, like the coffee place, or the clothing stores. Even the school when you can."

Kira's grin widened as hilarity reached those gleaming, bright blue eyes. "So, basically, you want me to stalk them?" Alison would have winced if it was anyone else who asked. Or denied it as charmingly as she could. But like Cece and herself, Kira was a living bullshit detector and told things the way they were. "I guess." Alison admitted, chuckling, "You can talk to them though. Just make sure that you don't end up on –A's radar."

Kira crossed her arms over her chest. "Hey, I'm not worried about –A. –A wants a fight? He or she'll get it. So, tell us what our first mission is and who we need to look out for."

Alison glimpsed over at Margo who rounded her, waving pleasantly to the smiling Sam, trying to avoid eye contact with the smirking Kira as the wild haired girl went to some new Redcoats on the floor with masks, getting them set up for Sam and Kira for when the two girls would need them.

Alison nodded and began explaining what the next thing they needed to do was. She kept all the millions of things they had to worry about in mind. The top of that list now? Spencer knew that she was alive. Spencer knew that Alison was alive now. And worse? She believed that Alison was –A. Alison sucked in a breath and began explaining the plan, "There's someone I have with the girls now who's decided to work with us. Maya St. Germain. I'm pretty sure she can be trusted. The girls that you need to keep watch over are Hanna Marin, Emily Fields, Aria Montgomery….and Spencer Hastings." Alison said the last name, a near tremor in it as she remembered the horror in the brunette's eyes as she saw Alison's face.

She met Kira and Sam's gazes as she continued, knowing with a heavy heart that both of them, and Margo, and the rest of their group, really, should know that Spencer knew she was alive and thought she was –A, whether she liked to talk about it or not.

 **(Page Break)**

Noel smirked as he listened in on the cops' words. Apparently Lyndon was being put away for three years. Way less time than a creep like that deserved. The fucker deserved fifteen at the least, but still, at least he was away from Maya for a while. Noel shook his head in disgust. Three years for endangering someone's life? Even though they now had McCullers's statement that she had been kidnapped by Lyndon? Dammit, just went to show that there was little justice in the world. Certainly the system didn't work in Rosewood.

Noel sighed out as he walked past the other students and went to his car, thinking about taking the train to Ravenswood. He hadn't seen Patrick in the longest time. He missed the little guy. He knew Patrick missed him too. Alison and Cece both mentioned the kid to him more than once.

The dark haired young man spotted Jenna, sitting on the white stone square part of the bannister that lead to the school, eating cherries. He grinned, running over to her, wanting to say goodbye to her before taking off. He hated saying it, but he knew that he couldn't tell her where he was going. Whether he liked it or not, Jenna was part of the A-Team. He couldn't tell her too much.

He lumbered over to her, grinning. "Hey, baby." He said affectionately as he went up the steps. Jenna smiled at him, a look on her face that told him she was relishing taking the sight of him in with her deep green eyes. Noel's smile widened, knowing that it must have been great for her to see again.

"Jenna, sweetie," He bounded up the stairs and offered his arms out to the slim girl. Jenna slipped off the square stone bannister, past the circle of cherry pits and jumped into his arms, hugging him close. He parted and gently leaned his head in. They kissed passionately and a thrill of pleasure went up Noel's back as Jenna tangled her fingers into his hair, tugging at it. When they finally parted, Noel looked at her lovingly and said, voice smooth, "Jenna, sorry, but my mom and dad asked me to do something important. And I gotta go outside of Rosewood. So I'll be seeing you later."

"Aw," Jenna said, smirking, though her tone held disappointment, "I'll see you later tomorrow night though?" She asked hopefully. Noel nodded, smiling. "Promise." He kissed her forehead and felt his heart flutter at her smile widening. As they parted and Jenna waved him goodbye and he headed to his car, Noel felt his heart clench as he thought of Alison and Jenna. His baby sister and the girl that had completely stolen his heart. He knew their history. Still, he hoped, whether he liked it or not that one day they could be in the same room without wanting to kill the other. His mind traveled back to Patrick. He hoped Jenna got to meet Patrick. He knew he had no right to ask her to like the kid, but he wanted all three of them to be in his life. Noel pushed aside his thoughts about family. Right now he just needed to check on Patrick. He'd text Margo later about what happened with Aria and the keycard.

He had been shadowing Toby all day and Toby had come to the school, not even bothering going to Spencer's. He frowned, trying to figure out what happened when he heard a smacking noise fill his ears. He froze, whirling around.

Speak of the devil, Toby was across the lawn, his head thrown to the side, shock on his face. Spencer stood there, hand raised, fury all over her face. Several students stumbled back, stunned, unsure of what was a happening any more than Noel did. Toby slowly turned back to Spencer, confused. Spencer's eyes were hard and unforgiving. There were black circles under her eyes, proving she hadn't slept much, if at all. She dug her hand into her pocket and pulled out a keycard, making Noel try to hide his shock if any A-Team members were watching, which they probably were.

Spencer roughly shoved the keycard into Toby's stomach, disgust all over her face, "I hope you're happy Toby. Let me know how your _master_ is feeling after what she did last night." Spencer's rage was nearly a physical force as she spat, "You lied to me, used me. Lied to Emily, Aria and Hanna. I want you to stay away from me from now on. Stay away from us!" She turned and stormed away, earning dozens of shocked and confused stares. Toby's mouth dropped open as he called after her. "Spencer! Spencer!"

Noel watched as well, trying to keep a bark of a laugh out of his throat but failed horribly. Looked like the self-righteous couple of the school didn't work out too well, huh? At least now Spencer knew Toby was part of the A-Team. What did she mean by "master" though? Noel could only assume Spencer had meant either Mona or Jenna. He grinned coldly at Toby. The little shit had been part of the group that was trying to hurt his sister's friends. He got whatever he deserved.

"Tough luck, Cavanaugh." He mocked, walking to his car, grinning at the brown-haired boy all the while. He pulled his throwaway phone out, knowing that Alison probably wanted Spencer checked on in case Toby tried anything.

When he was in the car and driving off, sure that no one was watching him, he sent a text to Maya, asking her to go to Shana at some point so that the two of them could come up with a plan to watch Spencer and the other girls later.

After a few hours between getting the girl's confirmation and reaching the train station, he parked the car, hiding it away from the cameras, locked it and went to the train station, buying, (with cash) a ticket to Ravenswood. Credit cards could be tracked after all.

He got on the train, hiding his face mostly. He got a text after a few hours from Margo on his throwaway phone that Sam and Kira were in Rosewood and had been given their assignments. Noel smiled. Great. Some muscle added to the group was nice. And even more importantly, they were both loyal to Alison. That was the most important thing.

He texted what happened with Toby and Spencer at the school and Margo texted by, _"Sure, got it."_ Noel narrowed his eyes when he saw this. Had something happened? Margo didn't usually answer this unenthusiastically. He texted back, _"Is something up?"_ The message he received didn't make him worry, it made him almost jump from his train seat, _"Not exactly. It's okay, but Alison's been acting strange since she tried to get the keycard. I think Spencer might have seen her face."_

Noel almost dropped his lower jaw to the floor. Shit! Shit, shit, shit! Double shit! His mind then traveled to what Spencer had said about Toby's "master" and about a "she" and "last night." Noel's heart thudded. Shit. Triple shit. He had thought Spencer meant Mona or Jenna, but….did Spencer think Alison was –A?

Noel gasped, grabbing his throwaway phone, almost calling Alison, but stopped himself just in time as he went to the icon with the phone. No. He couldn't risk a vocal conversation with her. Not under any circumstance. He had to make sure it was absolutely necessary. Margo hadn't mentioned any emergency involving Alison yet, so this didn't yet count as an emergency. Noel let out a distressed sigh. He wished he had known that Spencer had seen Alison's face before. He would have checked on her regardless of the risk before going to Ravenswood.

He forced himself to calm down with some deep breaths and texted back to Margo, asking the girl to make sure that Alison was alright and that he would speak to them both later and he texted the new number of the throwaway phone that he was going to use soon, hand traveling to his other pocket and touching the new phone he was going to use. They couldn't risk using a throwaway phone for too long. They had to alternate quite a bit.

As Margo confirmed it, Noel put the phone away, planning to destroy it when he got into Ravenswood.

There he sat, keeping a cool face as the worry and panic welled about inside him. Spencer might have seen Alison. Spencer might know that Alison was alive and might think that she was –A. Fuck. That was a big problem. Had Spencer told the other girls yet? Just as Noel was about to go to his still available throwaway phone, thinking about texting Maya to see if she had said anything about it, the train came to a stop, the conductor announcing the stop, which was Ravenswood. Noel sighed, heart still pounding.

He got up from the seat and walked out, heading out into the dark, strange town that was Ravenswood.

It was as grey and as lovely as he remembered. He smirked at that. Well, at least it wasn't like Rosewood. Rosewood was where the ugliness was hidden by a pretty face. Kind of like its community. Ravenswood was just plain weird.

He tried to more or less forget what he had learned today and headed towards the cottage, keeping a look out in case anyone had followed him.

 **(Page Break)**

Noel arrived at the cottage, walking between the two stone tiled walkways. He was surrounded by towering, almost withered looking weeping willows and some proud standing oak trees. There were two metal round green tables with two wooden benches next to it. There were four chairs circling the tables. Noel took note of them. He had seen them before but they still gave him the creeps.

Seriously, he expected to see ghosts sitting there at some point.

As he still looked at the creepy little tables, there was creaking, and the wooden door of the cottage flew open, making Noel swivel his head towards the structure, startled when he saw a distressed Mrs. Grunwald coming out. She stopped as she reached out the door, eyebrows furrowing as her blind grey eyes focused.

"Noel?" She said, sightless eyes somehow seeing him, "Noel Kahn? Is that you, my boy?"

Noel nodded, grinning. "Yeah, Mrs. Grunwald, it's okay. It's just me. What's wrong?" He pressed his lips in concern at how she looked. She didn't seem in any way calm. Great, now what was going on?

Grunwald answered for him, head turning as if trying to sense something. "Patrick ran off. I told him to stay put but he ran off and said that he was calling the police or for one of you because he said he saw someone in a black hoodie." Noel's eyes became huge, heart pounding. Someone in a black hoodie-?

No, no. That could mean anything. In Rosewood, a black hoodie meant darkness, deceit and death. But anywhere else, even in Ravenswood, it could just be a random person wearing an average hoodie.

Almost sensing his thoughts, (and Noel sometimes suspected the woman could) Grunwald shook her head, "No, Noel, I was in the same area as the hooded figure when Patrick ran. I felt the person's aura." Grunwald's face became pale as she grimaced, "Noel,…whoever that person was that Patrick saw,…they're evil….I felt it…..they don't care who they hurt."

Noel's heart pounded as he heard that. "Okay," He said, trying to keep his voice calm, "Do you have any idea where Patrick may have run off? And where are Jack and Zoomy?"

Mrs. Grunwald stepped closer, turning her side to Noel. "Jack is trying to find Patrick. Patrick told all of us to run when he saw the hooded figure. I heard his footsteps in that direction." She pointed to the forest point behind the creepy chairs and tables. "Zoomy tried to attack the person, but…" Grunwald walked to the house, a now confused Noel following. They went inside and Noel looked over to see Zoomy laying across the floor, eyes closed, floppy ears splayed out. Noel almost panicked for a moment till he saw the dog's chest rise and fall. Zoomy was asleep.

He then noticed a long, silver dart of some kind lying on the small table next to Zoomy. "Mrs. Grunwald," Noel began, "That dart…is it a tranquilizer dart?"

Grunwald nodded, "That would be my guess. All I know is Zoomy charged the hooded figure, and the figure hit Zoomy with something and then the poor animal became unconscious. I'm hoping he'll be up soon." She turned to Noel, fear stricken across her elderly face. "Noel, you have to find Jack and Patrick. I know –A is after them." Noel nodded. "Alright." He promised her, "I'll look for them, but don't leave this cottage." He pulled out another throwaway phone and handed it to Grunwald, "You know how to call the police right?" As soon as Noel said it he regretted it when he saw the narrowed eyes, though he knew she couldn't see him. He had dated Jenna long enough, before her surgery to know she didn't like to be demeaned in any way, even if it wasn't intentional.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kahn. Of course I do." Grunwald shook her head, "Now go!"

Noel nodded, "Right. Call them in case anything else happens or if I'm not back with Patrick and Jack soon." With that Noel bolted. He ran out, quickly closing the door and running into the forest.

He bolted past the small tables, benches and chairs and ran deep into the forest.

Running past all the trees, which couldn't have taken him more than a few minutes, but felt like years, he finally came to a stop when he spotted a small figure smiling up at another figure. Another figure that was wearing a black hoodie and black gloves….

Noel's horror struck hard. He ran at the two figures, watching, aghast as the hooded figure raised a right gloved hand and patted Patrick on the head gently and Patrick grinned.

Noel couldn't believe this. Hadn't they told Patrick to run when he saw a black hooded figure ever? "Patrick!" He screamed, hands balling into fists and he careened to them. The hooded figure tensed, but didn't turn, didn't show their face. Even more frustrating as Noel clearly saw that in one of their hands, the hooded figure was holding a black mask. The hooded figure turned and ran through the forest, away from Noel, leaving the teenager and Patrick alone.

"Patrick!" Noel yelled, closing in. His long, muscled legs dashed through the dirt and weeds, nearly crashing into the startled small boy. "Hi, Noel!" Patrick squeaked happily, immediately jumping forward and hugging Noel around the waist. It was then that Noel noticed that the boy was holding a long, gold, thin chain in his hand with a pendent of a bright blue dolphin on it. Patrick moved back, looking up at Noel, adoration on the boy's face. "Hi, Noel," He grinned happily, "It's great to see you." Seeing Noel's worry as the large young teenager scanned the forest for –A or Jack, Patrick asked, worried, "What's wrong?"

Noel looked down and after a few seconds, utterly relieved at Patrick not seeming to have been harmed at all by –A, kneeled down, and wrapped his arms around the boy, holding him tight. "Patrick!" He almost whimpered. Patrick hugged Noel back, still confused.

Noel parted from Patrick and said, feeling disbelief take hold, "Pat, what were you thinking? What have we told you about people in black hoodies?"

Patrick looked sheepish and said, sounding guilty, "I know, but…she looked like big sister Ali."

Noel stiffened when he heard that. What? Noel's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

Patrick nodded, a smile starting to emerge, "Yeah. I was really scared at first and tried to get Mrs. Grunwald and Jack to run away but then the hooded person took off their mask. She looks like Ali, Noel! She said her name is Courtney and that she loves big sister Ali very much."

Noel felt his mouth drop open.

"She….Courtney, she looks like Ali?" Noel asked carefully, feeling his throat go dry, "Our Ali? With blonde hair?" As Noel said it, images flashed in his mind of that birth certificate that Alison, Cece and Shana had found at the town hall. No way. Just no freaking way. It was too good a coincidence. It was too much of a cliché. A twin?!

Patrick nodded again, vigorously. "That's right. She looks just like Ali, only her hair's lighter. And her eyes look a little different. Oh, and she has a scar on her face too."

"A scar?" Noel parroted, feeling like an idiot as all sense left him.

"Uh-huh." Patrick confirmed, raising his hand to his face and drawing a line with his right index finger from the top of his forehead, diagonally down, across the top of his nose, to the beginning of his right cheek. "From here to here." Patrick then held up the gold chain, showing off the dolphin pendant. "She gave this to me." Patrick said, grinning again, "She said that she got it for Ali when they were four. Courtney said that Ali gave her a pendent too. Courtney says that she always has it with her."

Noel felt his heart slamming against his chest. Slowly, feeling like a zombie, he got up off the ground and stood, looking around, near panicked. It was one thing if that certificate was made up by –A, but if Courtney DiLaurentis was actually real….

He felt a curse begging to fly out of his mouth but kept it under control. He didn't want Patrick to have to hear it.

"Patrick," he said urgently, "We have to find Jack and get out of here! I don't think it's safe here anymore."

He grabbed Patrick's hand and pulled the boy through the forest and headed to the cottage. He needed to get Patrick to Grunwald and find Jack. They had to get out of here. It wasn't safe here. Maybe it never had been.

 **So yeah. Just to let everyone know, in case anyone hasn't figured out, this is going to be a very different twin plot than what was in the books.**


	18. Know your Enemy-Well, that's the problem

**Warnings for mentions of child abuse and sexual abuse of a thirteen-year-old and teen pregnancy.**

 **Chapter 18: Know your Enemy-Well, that's the problem**

 **Ravenswood:**

Noel ran to the cottage, Patrick in tow, both of them panting as they reached the building. Noel got to the door and with his free hand knocked on the door. He called out, "Mrs. Grunwald, it's okay! It's us! I've got Patrick!" There was movement and the door swung open. Mrs. Grunwald stood there, butcher's knife in hand, phone in her other hand. Noel stepped back, nervous laugh spilling out, "Easy there, Mrs. Grunwald. Don't wanna scare, Patrick, right?" Noel turned to Patrick and kneeled down in front of him.

"Now Pat, listen," He began, "I'm going to go looking for Jack. You stay with Mrs. Grunwald and Zoomy and don't leave the cottage, no matter what, understand? And lock the door. And don't let anyone in unless you hear my or Jack's voice, got it?" Patrick nodded. Noel smiled and hugged the boy close before ushering him inside the cottage. As Patrick stepped inside and went past Grunwald, Noel stood up and faced the woman. "I promise I'll find your grandson." He assured her, "I promise I'll look for him, but stay with Patrick." He could see the anguish on her weathered face. She wanted to find Jack, but even with her gift, it was likely Noel would find him more easily. And right now, Patrick needed someone with him. Who knew if –A…Courtney…whoever the hell, was going to come back or not.

She nodded and slowly closed the door, as Noel quickly started running, he heard the lock click on the door.

He ran around the forested area a few times, calling out "Jaaaackkkk!" At the top of his lungs each time he circled the cottage. Deciding to search further, he ran deeper into the forest, glancing through the trees, around the corners of all the different paths and near the cluster of moss encrusted boulders. He, Alison, Cece and Patrick would explore these woods every now and then, discovering all the pockets and hideaways in the woods. It wouldn't be hard for him to find each one in a matter of at least twenty minutes. At least he hoped. He scrambled around a flowing spring, jumped over a few jutting up, sharp rocks and came to a stop at a rotting log, balanced between two large stones, noting the dark space under it.

Noel leaned down, checking under it and noticed a crouching outline of a figure. "Jack?" Noel said gently, "Jack, it's okay. It's just me." The figure came crawling out, revealing a dirt smeared, shaken up Jack Grunwald. "Noel?" Jack whimpered, dark brown eyes frightened. Noel grinned, hoping Jack knew it was safe, "Yeah, kid. It's me. It's just Noel." Jack rushed forward, out from under the log and jumped into Noel's arms. Noel hugged and soothed the small boy, stunned. Jack was shivering, afraid. It was just the opposite of how Patrick had been.

"Jack," Noel began gently, "What happened?"

Noel started walking him and Jack towards the path, leading to the cottage. Jack whimpered and tried to pull away, but Noel stopped him. "No, no." Noel promised, "It's okay. –A's gone. Patrick, Zoomy and your grandma are back at the cottage. They're safe and so are you. It's okay. Come on, Jack, I promise." Jack nodded nervously and started following Noel, still held in the large jock's grasp.

"What happened, Jack?" Noel repeated, looking down at Jack every now and then in concern.

Jack swallowed and started, "Patrick, Zoomy and I were playing. We were kicking this soccer ball around. Grandma was sitting down and drinking tea. Then I got this really creepy feeling that someone was watching us. Grandma got the feeling too." Jack shivered harder as he spoke, "And when I turned around and looked at the woods, I saw someone in a black hoodie walk out from the forest, and they were coming right over to us." Jack whimpered. Noel squeezed the boy reassuringly. "It's alright, Jack." Noel promised, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Jack shook his head, dark brown hair flying all over the place, dispersing flecks of dirt. "No. No. You need to hear what happened. This person, Noel, they were…I don't know how to explain it. I didn't see their face, but it was awful. It felt like there was this black hole inside the person. The hoodie person," Jack gulped, "It felt awful. It felt like poison." Noel tried not to shiver at the thought. Great. The kid was freaking _him_ out now. "Alright." He said, "Let's get back to the cottage and we'll figure out what to do from there."

The two walked through the forest and on the path till they reached the cottage. Noel knocked on the door and announced his presence, telling Grunwald that Jack was with him. The door swung open fast and the now terribly relieved woman kneeled down, dropping the knife and letting a terrified Jack run forward and hug her close.

Noel stepped inside, looking down and seeing Patrick sitting on the floor, the bright blue dolphin pendant still gripped in his hand. His other hand gently petting and stroking the unconscious Zoomy's stomach.

Noel closed the door behind him and looked down at Mrs. Grunwald. "Okay," He began, "Jack told me what happened. Now what did you feel when the hooded person appeared? Jack says it felt like poison, but how could you tell this person was evil?" Noel knew that to anyone else this might sound like a bizarre thing to ask, but this was quite normal. The Grunwalds were of a very unique bloodline. And the world was very strange.

"No, Noel," Patrick protested, turning to the older boy, "Courtney's not evil! She's nice!" Patrick was looking at Noel worriedly. Noel sighed. For Patrick, given how young and naïve he was, despite coming from an abusive home, he clearly didn't want to believe that anyone who had been nice to him prior could have much more twisted motives.

Noel looked to Mrs. Grunwald. "Just tell me what happened."

Mrs. Grunwald nodded, letting Jack go and lifting herself up. "Alright," She began, "Patrick and Jack were playing soccer and Zoomy was running between them. I had just made myself tea."

 **(Page Break)**

 _Mrs. Grunwald sat on the stone steps of the cottage, plate in lap, lifting the porcelain cup of chamomile tea to her lips as she heard the soccer ball be shot between the two boys, giggling and running. Zoomy ran around, barking happily and excitedly. As she heard the large dog jump up, landing in a patch of ivy hard, she heard the ball suddenly hit one of the boys' legs differently. It didn't sound like one of the boys-Jack it seemed, had kicked the ball._

 _Mrs. Grunwald pursed her lips in concern when she heard Patrick speak curiously, "Jack?"_

" _Patrick." Jack's voice sounded nervous, making Mrs. Grunwald lift her head, "I think we need to run away." Grunwald felt her grip on the teacup tighten. She heard footsteps walking through the brush, crushing leaves, sticks and plants in the path of whoever was approaching._

" _Patrick, grandma, Zoomy, run!" Jack yelled, "It's –A!" "Huh?" Patrick said and as Mrs. Grunwald stood up, feeling numb, she was sure that Patrick hadn't seen whoever Jack was looking at, till she heard his frightened gasp. "Oh no….," The other boy mumbled, backing away, "Oh no. Someone in a black hoodie." Patrick ran over to Mrs. Grunwald and grabbed her arm. "Mrs. Grunwald, we have to get out of here!" Patrick cried urgently. Mrs. Grunwald pulled Patrick over to Jack and stood in front of both boys as she heard the footsteps come closer. She didn't just hear this person close in on them. She felt the person. It felt like darkness embodied. Like it was a sickening black thing, slinking out of the woods and ready to infect them with their chaos at any moment. "Boys, run!" She cried. "Run now!"_

" _Grandma!" Jack protested. "Go!" Mrs. Grunwald ordered, knowing there wasn't much she could do but threw the cup and plate in the direction of where she felt that putrid, black aura coming nearer. The figure moved out of the way as Patrick and Jack started running. Zoomy barked angrily and she heard the dog bound towards the figure. There was the sound of rapid movement and Zoomy whimpered as he stumbled back._

" _Zoomy?" Mrs. Grunwald asked, narrowing her eyebrows. There was more whimpering and stumbling of Zoomy's paws on the ground, then dropped down, hitting the soft ground hard with a loud "plop." Mrs. Grunwald's heart pounded as she lifted her head. She knew she couldn't see this figure, and she could feel this figure's rage. This black, poisonous rage and fixation. It wasn't even hate that she felt. It was a strange, sick, dark fascination. It was twisted and warped. Everything that a human being felt, should not be felt the way this person was feeling it. Everything she sensed from this figure was polluted. Disturbed…_

 _Mrs. Grunwald shivered. She knew that there was more than one person in the group known as the A-Team, but this figure…this person held a soul that was so repugnant and twisted, that there was no way this person wasn't the leader. Only so much utter, vile fury and sick fascination could be contained as a pawn. This person wasn't just part of the A-Team. This WAS -A. It had to be._

" _It's you." She whispered, a chill going down her back, "You're the one that's been terrorizing Rosewood." A childish chuckle stirred from the figure. A pause and then a childish, girlish giggle left the being in front of her, continuing for minutes till the figure burst out into hysterical laughter, making Mrs. Grunwald step back, gasping. The loud, maniacal laughter reached the treetops and the woman was sure she heard birds fly off, tweeting in alarm._

 _The figure stopped laughing abruptly, before giggling again. Mrs. Grunwald felt her heart race. That giggling sounded so girlish, almost like Alison's laughter, till it broke into that inhuman cackle that by all rights, should have belonged to a demon._

" _Don't you dare try to go after the boys." Mrs. Grunwald protested. Another bark of cold laughter came from the figure before turning around and running into the woods. Mrs. Grunwald hissed. The figure was going off in the opposite direction from Jack and Patrick, but there was no way that –A wouldn't find them eventually. Without hesitation, Mrs. Grunwald ran back into the cottage, and grabbed the phone, picking it up and dialing the police, holding the phone to her ear. She froze when she didn't hear anything on the other end._

 _Had the line been cut? How? She dropped the phone to the receiver and leaned down, grabbing the wire and trailing it till she came to a severed end. Her mouth dropped open. The wire HAD been cut! But when? How had that happened without either Patrick or Jack seeing? She stood back up and turned around, walking out of the cottage, knowing where she had heard Zoomy drop, unconscious. She went to the spot, leaning and feeling with her hands. She found the large, warm animal, and let out a breath of relief when she felt his chest expand every so often. He was just asleep. She traveled her hand up to his neck._

 _There was a long, skinny dart, sticking out of his neck. She frowned and leaned down in front of the dog, pulling his head and upper torso into her arms, turning him around and dragging him backwards to the cottage. She couldn't just leave him out here._

 _After minutes of getting Zoomy back inside and pulling the dart out, she closed the door and went to the closet, feeling for the shotgun Duncan had left here when Mrs. Grunwald felt a new presence. Different. Green. Like spring. Playful. Tricky and jovial. Grunwald almost laughed. She recognized the aura. Noel Kahn._

 **(Page Break)**

Noel felt his heart thud with each word that Mrs. Grunwald said. "I see." He answered as she finished. He slowly walked over to the wall where the phone was and looked down at the wire. It indeed had been cut. He frowned, uneasy. But when _had_ this happened? Up till now, they had been using cell phones, not the landline of the cottage, as it was borderline prehistoric. He turned back to the other three. "Alright." He said, "I don't think I need to tell anyone that we should get out of here. It's not safe here."

Mrs. Grunwald nodded. "Agreed." She nodded to the still sleeping Zoomy, "Shall we wait till he wakes up, though?" Noel looked at the dog with amusement. "Yeah. Probably. Don't want to lug him around. But when he gets up, we'll go for the train." He thought for a second more before speaking to Mrs. Grunwald, "I'll call Naomi and Deena and see if they can help us cover our tracks. But after that, we need to find a new safe place. Or _safer_ , anyway, than here."

Mrs. Grunwald nodded. "I'll help the boys get packed. Jack, Patrick, sweeties, come along."

Patrick whined a little as he got up from the floor and walked over, following Mrs. Grunwald further into the cottage as Jack did.

Noel pulled out his phone and started dialing Naomi's number. Those girls in Rosewood might have been useless, but it was time to prove Alison's real family could stop –A. –A wanted a war? A war was coming. It was time to ready the troops. This was getting serious. "Big –A," Courtney, or whoever the hell had found their bases. Had made contact with one of the children that they thought they could keep safe. Their sanctuary was no longer safe. Naomi and Deena would be called. Kira and Sam were just the beginning. First, he had to tell Alison. She had to know what happened here. He wanted to hear from her if they should get their troops ready.

 **(Page Break)**

 **Rosewood:**

Alison swooped down from the branch, suited up again, with the backpack holding Spencer's Radley file that she was so afraid of anyone seeing on her back as she listened in to what she heard from the DiLaurentis residence. She saw Jason holding a cell phone to his ear. He snapped, "Why are you making this difficult? At least if we put my sister's body in the crypt, it'll make it harder for whoever these creeps are that took her body to break in. Just give my family this, okay? Fund this and I'll be happy? Alright, Mr. Hastings?" Alison kept herself hidden in the space between the trees, watching with pure interest. Jason was asking Peter Hastings to fund the memorial? Alison didn't doubt that Peter would provide that money for Jason. Anything for one of the fruits of his loins, right? After all, just giving money to his children, made him a good father, right?

Alison fought the urge to roll her eyes. Peter Hastings was such scum. Bad father, bad husband. Who knew what his part was in Spencer being at Radley? Alison tried not to smirk at the thought of Peter paying for _her_ memorial. Number of memorials or not, she didn't doubt that Peter was more than happy to send her off for good. She and Peter had not had a very good relationship of understanding to say the least. She thought he was scum, he thought she was scum. It was a very mutually felt relationship though.

After a few minutes, Jason nodded. "Alright then. Thank you." Another few seconds past and Jason hung up, putting the phone away and walking inside.

Alison kept herself obscured, and rounded the house, going across to the Hastings backyard. She assumed Peter Hastings was off at work. Why else would Jason bother to call him instead of just barging into the Hastings house like the tactless bullheaded ingrate he was? Alison, regardless of her issues with her family, admittedly did miss them. Sometimes. But she wasn't a fool. She knew that they weren't going to change. Her mother and father certainly weren't. And she wasn't sure she could forgive Jason for doing nothing during his "stoner" years. She was only close now because she wanted to check on Spencer. She hid between the forest and the brush behind the Hastings house. She looked up into Spencer's window. She didn't see the brunette. Anywhere. She circled around again and checked the various windows. She didn't see Spencer. She sighed, feeling a deep, heavy sadness weigh on her. She couldn't do anything now. If Spencer wasn't here, there was nothing she could do. Not even explain herself. Without thinking of anything else, she further into the woods away from the houses.

She couldn't do anything else here, but she was going to go make preparations with Sam and Kira.

As she ran through the woods, uncaring who saw, as she was completely covered, including her face, she tried to fight the thoughts of Spencer seeing her. Spencer had seen her. Spencer had seen her. Spencer had seen her. Spencer had seen her. Spencer had seen her.

Finally, Alison came to a halt, bending down, panting, hands going to her knees, sweat pouring into the inside of her mask. Spencer thought she was –A. Spencer fucking thought she was –A. She heaved out a breath, standing up straight. What was she going to do? Had Spencer told the other girls that she had seen Alison alive yet? Would they even believe her? Did Spencer even believe what she had seen? Or had Spencer rationalized that she had dreamed it? Or hallucinated it?

Alison sighed out, glancing around the woods, trying to see if there were any dark hooded figures out. None that she could see. Whether that was a good thing or not, she had no idea. God, what was it like for Spencer, realizing the person she thought was dead for nearly four years now, and there was a body, suddenly appear and she believed that the person she thought to be dead was now the enemy? That….must have been terrible for Spencer.

Alison fought down the growing surges of agony. She wanted to pull her mask off and bring her hand up to her face in case any tears flowed. She couldn't though. Too much risk of exposure. Assuming that was, that Spencer hadn't told anyone yet. God, Spencer must have been in so much pain. Alison breathed out deeply, going through the forest, trying to fight the demons hissing in her head about Spencer and the stings of pain that accompanied them. Right now, she needed to explain to Kira and Sam what they needed to do. Even _if_ Spencer thought Alison was –A, at least the brunette and the other three would have as much protection as possible.

 **(Page Break)**

Cece sighed as she listened to Emily's understandable questions. When Cece herself had asked Alison what she should say, should the girls ever find out about Darren Wilden and Cape May, Alison had simply told her to tell them the truth. That Alison was sure that she had become pregnant because of the cop and she had been sure that she was late. That was it. Since that was the last time Alison had mentioned it before she had disappeared, there was no need to mention anything else. After all, anything else and Cece would end up revealing the births of her two little nieces, Victoria and Julia who were now approaching their fourth birthdays, and that was unacceptable.

Cece gave the information she knew-limited information. Only that Alison had been sure that she was "late" and that the younger blonde had slept with Darren Wilden in Cape May. But nothing more than that. She'd let them put the rest together on their own without telling them anything else.

She watched as Emily considered the information she was given. Cece tried not to smirk as she saw how upset Emily looked as she put the pieces together. "Ali was pregnant?" Emily asked in disbelief. Cece shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not a doctor. I couldn't tell you. I just know that Alison was really freaked out. But it doesn't really matter now, does it?" Cece watched as Emily mulled this over and nodded, unaware that the blonde was more than aware that Emily was about to lie. "Sure. You're right. It doesn't matter. Thank you for telling me, though." Cece nodded, tilting her head. "Aw, don't worry. I understand. Ali, that summer…she was just so lost at that time. I wish I could have done more. I more than understand, Em." Emily smiled in appreciation, intense emotions shining behind dark brown eyes as she walked back over to where Hanna and Maya stood.

Cece sighed, leaning back against the wall of the boutique. She hadn't lied when she said that Alison had felt lost during that summer and that Cece wished she could have done more for the younger girl. Both were true. Between the possible pregnancy that Alison suspected and the abuse she had encountered from her family, not to mention what Ian, Garrett and sometimes Darren and the rest of Jason's buddies tried to do to Ali-and it looked like Darren had succeeded-that was till Alison told Cece that she had done it of her own free will and had shamed Darren the next morning in disgust.

Cece sometimes had to stop herself from feeling sick at what Alison meant when she said "out of her own free will." Alison had almost been fourteen when she suspected she was pregnant. Wilden had been about to enter his second year in college. What college student had sex with thirteen-year-olds?! There was no free will there. Even if Alison thought it was of her own free will, she was still a child. Darren had been nearly twenty-one. He was a fucking child molester. How the hell did society get off on slut-shaming girls that were twelve to sixteen? _Who_ was having sex with a twelve to sixteen-year-old, besides someone the girl's own age?! It had been what made Cece even more determined to protect Alison, that day on the beach outside of the party when Alison had told her.

Cece watched Emily and the other girls depart, some guilt stinging at her. Emily still loved Alison. Cece could tell. She was sure that Emily would deny it, but she knew that the swimmer was still in love with Alison. Cece tried not to chuckle. She almost felt sorry for Emily. Poor girl had no idea that the heart of the girl who the swimmer was still pining after, belonged to Spencer Hastings, one of Emily's closest friends. Cece knew it was kind of cruel to find humor in that, but the world was cruel. She was just one of the many cruel people inhabiting it.

She smirked and turned, walking through the boutique, picking up some jewelry and placing them on their pedestals.

 **(Page Break)**

 **Rosewood Cemetery:**

Alison snuck through the forest, redcoat, black gloves and a new mask all on her as she glanced through the brush at the crypt. She saw all four Aria, Hanna, Emily and Maya gathered around where a new compartment in the wall was for the body. Jason stood by the side, looking respectfully at the gold lettering that was her name. She scanned the area. She swallowed a lump of dry, painful remorse. She didn't see Spencer.

It would be a bit of a contradiction for Spencer to come to her grave when the brunette knew for a fact that Alison was alive, but Spencer's absence still made her uneasy. As three of them started talking, Spencer suddenly appeared at the crypt. Alison perked her head up, seeing the brainiac through the gates openings.

"Spencer!" Alison heard Emily remark, surprised. Alison crouched closer, trying to listen in. Spencer turned and looked at Jason and Alison could have sworn she heard something inside her break. God, Spencer looked terrible. Her hair was frazzled, her eyes were bloodshot; she was pale with dark circles under her eyes. Even her posture was a little too tense and straight. Alison's face became a sorrowful expression beneath her new grinning man mask.

Had she really been the one to do this to Spencer? Or had it been Toby's betrayal?

"It doesn't matter when I got here." Spencer answered Aria's question that Alison barely registered. She then looked at Jason, "Alison was pregnant when she died." Alison almost dropped off of the grass-cloaked mound when she heard that. What?!

Jason reacted the same way. "Wait, what?" He demanded, "What are you talking about, Spencer?"

Alison blinked, hearing this. Yes, what _was_ Spencer talking about? Spencer had _seen_ her last night. This didn't make any sense. What did Spencer mean by "when she died"? Spencer knew that Alison wasn't dead. What was Spencer playing at? It wasn't like they wouldn't have found out at some point. The A-Team likely knew about her time in Cape May from Wilden, since he was part of that group. Thankfully, as long as they didn't know she was alive, they might not suspect that she had the baby. Well, "babies," anyway. The blonde stood there, trying to make sense of what she heard and as the group was left with startled, shocked looks, Jason leaving, looking completely lost and all four Maya, Emily, Aria and Hanna leaving the crypt, asking what happened, Alison crept forward some more, looking at the four girls outside.

"What just happened?" Maya asked, quirking a dark eyebrow, "I did not just hear that Alison was pregnant before she died, did I?" Emily sighed, shrugging, "It's possible. She was in Cape May over the summer before she disappeared." "No way." Maya said, astounded, "With who?"

Alison rolled her eyes. She didn't have time to think about what her newest Redcoat would think of her all too active sex life before she realized that she was in love with Spencer. She went through the woods around the other four girls and chanced looking into the crypt from the angle that she stood, looking right at the frail appearing brunette.

Spencer turned to the crypt that held the body that wasn't Alison's and walked over, pulling out a key. Alison stared, fixated, desperately trying to figure out what the other girl was doing. Spencer brought the key up and started carving the end of it against the compartment, right above the name.

Alison felt both fascinated and horrified. Regardless of her feelings towards the person whose grave it was, since when did Spencer Jillian Hastings deface a grave or anything like that? After harsh, painful scratching sounds, Spencer pulled her arms away and stepped back. The brunette then turned around and walked away, face pale, eyes still puffy and this time, Alison had a full and clear view of Spencer's heartbreak. Alison felt heat starting to accumulate in her eyes. She almost sniffled at the sight. Spencer looked completely broken. The once proud young woman walked out of the crypt and down the hill, away from Alison and the people that Spencer considered her friends. Alison, numbly turning around, looked at Spencer's "work" on the crypt wall of the body's compartment. Right above the dark gold lettering of "Alison DiLaurentis," was a scratch mark that said, "-A".

Alison stepped back, pure, unadulterated horror and anguish fully hitting her. It was just an "A." It was such a simple thing. It was just a single letter with a dash in front of it. Why should it matter? But it did. And Alison knew it. Spencer hadn't marked that grave holding a body that was supposedly Alison DiLaurentis's resting place with an "A" with a dash in front of it for no reason. She had done it for a very specific reason. Whether she was making sure Alison-the real, living Alison knew, or just affirming it in her own mind, Spencer had now officially labeled Alison DiLaurentis as –A.

Alison felt like every inch of her body was going numb. Her mind just wasn't functioning right now. It felt like someone had punched her in the gut a million times. She slowly turned and saw Spencer's now tiny form disappear around a corner, and walked over to the grave, looking out the gate and saw that all four of the other girls had left as well. Now, not even caring, Alison raised her left hand and traced gloved fingers over the scratched letter above her name. "Spencer." She breathed out brokenly, feeling the hot tears begin to fall again.


	19. A Permanent Solution

**Okay, finally an update. Sorry, had to deal with midterms and papers.**

 **Trigger warnings for abuse, violence, drug dealers, mentions of past murder of a woman and her daughter, child murder, gang violence, child abuse, sexual abuse and more murder.**

 **Chapter 19: A Permanent Solution**

Margo had held the fort down when Alison returned. The blonde pulled her mask off and tossed it and the red coat onto the counter. The young blonde huffed out, looking stressed and empty almost. Margo stared, not sure what was going on with her friend. "Ali?" She asked.

"It's nothing." Alison snapped, making Margo jump. The black-haired girl shared a worried glance with Sam and Kira. Kira stepped forward, icy blue eyes fierce. "Ali?" She asked, "Did someone bother you? Was it –A?" "No." Alison sighed, lowering her head, avoiding all three pairs of eyes on her, "It wasn't –A. It was _me._ I fucked up." "Ali?" Margo repeated, heart hurting at seeing her friend and sister like this, the blonde's strained voice feeling like a kick to her stomach. She had been seeing Alison like this a lot lately and it broke her heart.

"It's fine," Alison said, her voice sounding tiny as she lifted her head, face full of pain and sorrow for a moment, making Margo feel like she had been stabbed, before the blonde made her expression completely bright and cheery, sending cold shiver through the shaggy-haired girl. She glanced nervously at Kira and Sam. For once, Kira looked concerned. Sam was focusing her eyes on Alison, eyebrows lifted. Margo couldn't say she was surprised by Sam's look. The dark-skinned girl had seen Alison like this many times, pretending to be far more happier than she actually was. Margo suspected they all had at one point.

"I'm fine," Alison repeated, keeping her voice calm and confident, revealing none of her earlier pain, "We just need to make plans now. Kira, Sam. I'll tell you what to do. But…there's a new development that you should know." Alison's face became stony and cold. "Spencer thinks I'm –A." The air was completely still for almost two minutes. Margo held her breath. Kira's stare hardened, and Sam's jaw lowered. Finally, Kira thankfully broke the silence.

"Wait, hold it, what?!" The blue-eyed thug demanded. "-A? As in, _the_ –A. As in the freak that's been messing with your friends for almost a year now? How the hell did she come up with _that_ bullshit?" Margo almost laughed. Normally, she kept her distance from the more vapid, and vulgar Kira, but for once, she was glad that the other girl was saying what all three of them were thinking. Alison shook her head, a grimace flickering on her face for a second before she tamed it back to a neutral expression. "They don't know who Redcoat is. It's only normal by this point that they'd come to the worst conclusion possible about Redcoat. And Spencer saw my face. She thinks I'm –A because I'm Redcoat. Because they think Redcoat is ordering the rest of the A-Team around."

Sam shivered. "That's so messed up. You've done nothing but help them, right?" Alison laughed, " _Tried_ to help them. They don't know anything about the Redcoats. There's no way they could know what we're really doing."

Sam shook her head, face contorted in anger now. "That's no excuse. Fuck, I thought they were-" "Sam," Margo interrupted before Sam could say something about the girls that would piss Alison off irreversibly. There were two simple lines people should never cross when it came to Alison. One of those lines was ever committing a sexual assault of any kind-that pissed off Alison like nothing else. The other one was saying or doing something to or about those four girls. She did not want Alison to snap and snarl at Sam over a rightfully angry comment towards the girls, "Lets not go there right now. Look, we all think this is screwed up, but right now we need to think of a solution." Margo watched as all three Alison, Kira and Sam turned their attentions on her and felt her cheeks flush instantly.

"Which is why I think we should listen to Ali now." Margo gulped, face heated, looking to the blonde. She wanted this to be a focused conversation, but she _so_ did not want to be the center of attention. A leader, Margo was not. Alison chuckled, a frisson of sympathy in her blue eyes as she saw Margo's nervousness. "Thanks, Mar," She said, she then looked at Kira and Sam. "It doesn't matter that they think I'm –A. Their safety is still the highest priority on my list right now. Sam, I'd like you to apply at a job at the Brew. Where the girls get their coffee. Don't worry, you'll get the job. Cece'll make sure of it. Kira, let's face it, you're kind of muscle mixed with bat shit insane." Kira shrugged, smirking. "I accept that. I'm pretty nuts." A cat like smile spread on her face as she looked up at Margo, and the shaggy-haired girl took a step back.

Alison chuckled as she saw the brief interaction, a real smile spreading over her face as opposed to the forced one. She said quickly, "Alright, guys, seriously. We need to get to work. Kira, there's a point to this. I want you to work at the costume shop with Shana. She'll make sure you get the job and there are plenty of places where the two of you can hide and discuss what to do so no one on the A-Team see or hear you. Shana knows what needs to be done. You and her need to concentrate on the physical defenses."

Kira nodded, smirking. "Understood."

Alison looked at Margo. "And I want you with me, Mar. Now that Spencer knows I'm alive, and that she thinks I'm –A, I need to know what she'll do. I need to know if she's told any of the other girls or anyone else. We're going to shadow them." "Ah," Kira laughed, "So stalking time, huh?" Alison sent Kira a glare, but Margo tried to keep back a smile. Whether they liked it or not, they had more in common with the A-Team than they wanted to admit.

" _Anyway_ ," Alison grumbled, a slight laugh in her throat, "I'll direct you both to the Brew and the costume store and Cece and Shana will take it from there." Everything as far as they all could see, was set into place.

Margo, however, could see that this was weighing on her. It all was. It made Margo nothing but worried, thinking about how much this game might be bringing back unwanted memories for the younger, but pushed that thought aside. If Alison needed them to protect those four girls, that was that. Alison considered Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily family, so that by extension made the four girls Margo, Kira, Sam and the others' family. And they protected family, simple as that.

Margo almost burst out laughing as she recalled the last time something like protecting an extended family had happened. Ironically, one of their biological family members. Natalie's aunt and cousins. Natalie didn't consider her aunt and cousins immediate family like she did the Redcoats, but she still cared about them. That had led to a very long and exhausting trip on a train to Louisiana.

Her attention was caught again when Alison's phone rang. Looking down at her pocket, Alison's eyebrows furrowed as she pulled it out. She looked at the others and then at Margo. "Noel." She answered. "Awesome," Kira grinned as Alison answered on the throwaway, "Tell him I said 'hi.'"

Alison smirked as she pressed the phone to her ear. "Noel, hey, are you okay-whoa, Noel? Stop, stop, Noel," Alison's face paled in alarm, making all three Margo, Kira and Sam step forward, confusion covering their faces. "Noel, you're not making any sense," Alison said quickly, "Slow down. What happened? What do you mean –A found Patrick and Jack? Are you trying to tell me –A followed you?" There was more loud, panicked, nonsensical speaking on the phone and Alison's blue eyes just got wider.

"I see." The blonde said quietly, "Okay. Yes. You can come to us. There's a safe house that's really small and we've checked it a bunch of times. There are no cameras or things to record us. It's on the opposite side of town from the school. Yes, that place. I'll meet you there. Okay. Are Patrick and Jack and Ms. Grunwald okay at least? Sleeping. Alright. That's probably good. They probably need it. I'll see you there. By."

Alison hung up, stuffing the phone into her pocket and locked eyes with the shocked and now afraid Margo. "-A followed Noel?" Margo demanded, throat going dry, "-A knows about Patrick and Jack?" Alison was stock still, not seeming to comprehend what she had heard. "Noel just says that someone in a hoodie that Ms. Grunwald believes is evil went to the hideout where they are. Zoomy was knocked unconscious with a tranquilizer dart, but he seems to be okay. They're coming to the other hideout, at the other edge of town. We need to go meet them."

Margo numbly nodded, looking completely stunned and stiff. Alison was trying to keep a lid on her emotions. Her beautiful, cherub face appeared neutral, keeping her emotions in check, but Margo could see the blonde's lips twitching, ready to grimace, her eyes just barely refraining from narrowing in fury, her body just barely holding still, almost twitching in anxiety and anger.

"We need to get to the safe house. All four of us. We'll see Noel and Patrick there. Mrs. Grunwald, Zoomy and Jack are going to stay at another house. You know that abandoned one close to Noel's place? That one." Margo nodded, understanding. Right. That creepy, old, small house that looked like it belonged in a horror movie. They hadn't seen any of the A-Team near it. It, in theory, was safe. "I've told them where to meet us." Alison began, voice cool in a way that Margo was all too familiar with and she sent a glance to Sam and Kira to see if they recognized it. Kira was smirking, as if impressed. Sam was watching Alison with curiosity, as if trying to figure out what emotions the blonde was feeling right now.

Alison continued, "It's too much of a risk if we all leave right now. There might be someone watching. We need to go out gradually. Margo, you're a resident here and no one thinks you're dead." She smirked, "Needless to say, on the suspicion bar you're pretty low. You go out first." Margo chuckled in spite of herself. "Thanks. I guess." Alison's smirk matched Margo's. "Sam, you go out next. Kira, follow her. And I'll go out last." Kira narrowed her eyes and for a very odd moment, Margo predicted and agreed with what the usually overly aggressive New Yorker was about to say, "Hey! I'm not leaving you out here! This town has one particular target in mind. You. I'm not leaving you." Kira was practically glaring now, icy blue eyes blazing.

Alison glared at Kira, locking eyes with the black-haired thug, but Margo was surprised when the blonde's shoulders sagged, indicating the young girl's decision. Internally, Margo was just grateful to Kira that the short-haired girl wanted to protect Alison and refused to leave the blonde. She had never been so grateful to Kira since knowing the thug.

Alison felt her teeth clench for a moment before she let herself relax. Feeling the pervious burning need to snap at Kira and tell the willful former gang member that now was not the time, but if she argued any longer, they wouldn't meet with Noel and the others in time. Whether she liked it or not, she had to think about their priorities, not about stubbornness. "Fine," Alison breathed out, startling Margo further, "Maybe Margo should go out. Then Sam. Kira, if you're really so nervous, you can go out the same time as me."

Alison withheld a groan when she saw Kira grin. A pang of irritation shot through her, making her want to snap at the other girl, but restrained it. Kira was just concerned. Even if the former thug didn't view it as dissent-and Alison wasn't sure it was, the other was just trying to protect her, she knew that. And after learning that their hideout in Ravenswood had been infiltrated by –A, and Patrick had actual direct contact with this…person, perhaps the additional paranoia was actually necessary.

"Now I need you both to know who you're looking after," She started and immediately almost laughed at how condescending she must have sounded. Dammit, she was trying to be less of a bitch. It just sometimes slipped out, even now after all the effort she put into it. Whoever said "it doesn't happen overnight," they weren't kidding. "I mean, I should probably show you what they look like. Here," Alison reached for the bag next to the table that Margo had moved here, unzipped it and pulled out a camera, opening the plastic door with the screen grafted into it, pressing the buttons to the videos. On the menu, she got to one video, the one of all four girls together at the "Outlook," the one that had been creepily put there by –A inside the room the girls stayed in. The one that Alison and Margo had retrieved the next afternoon, knowing that all the other –A team members known of were getting ready for the dance and so wouldn't be at the hotel.

Alison pointed to the two girls sitting on the radiator, crossing their arms over their chests, shivering. "The blonde one is Hanna Marin. The dark-haired girl next to her is Emily Fields." Alison then pointed to the two girls by the door, talking.

" _You're little, but you're big."_ Spencer said on the camera, walking out the door and leaving Aria to smile smugly. "The one that just spoke and left," Alison said, "That was Spencer Hastings," Was Margo imagining it or had Alison's eyes flickered with pain for half a moment? "And the small one is Aria Montgomery." Alison finished, turning the camera off and turning to Sam and Kira.

Kira nodded, smacking her hands together, indicating work to be done. "Okay then," The street thief and brute said, grinning, "Protecting four self-centered, entitled rich kids, part one." "Kira." Sam chastised. Alison shook her head, smiling. "That's funny, Kira." The blonde drawled, "I'm sure you remember how I told you I was before you met me." "Well yeah," Kira shrugged, "But I never saw it. You were way different from what you told me you used to be like when we met. You only got bitchy when I did something out of line. So you definitely weren't self-centered and entitled when _I_ met you." Alison sighed, deflating her defense. Margo tried not to laugh. She tried not to laugh because both Kira and Alison were right. Alison sure didn't act like the way she used to when the blonde first met Kira. But Alison was right because she sure as hell used to be that way.

Margo had to stop her laugh because were she not so nervous about being around Kira, she could have, with Alison's permission only, of course, told the thug stories about how Alison used to be. How the younger girl used to bully Margo in school before the shaggy-haired girl graduated. How all seven Margo, Cece, Alexandra, Duncan, Erica, Shana and Noel and others that they met on the first five months when they found out Alison was alive, almost four years ago now, how all four of them and the others had seen how Alison was changing, how the guilt was beginning to eat her alive and shoving the blonde on the road to a meltdown. How Alison, desperate to hold onto any pride she had left, lashed out at everyone around her, even more than usual, and vaulted remarks at them that were so acidic that it made who she used to be sound like a saint, before the blonde finally broke down.

Margo could tell them that Alison was still a dangerous blade, coated in blood and darkness, but kept it locked up, chained up, in hopes that she never lashed at people like that again, but if she wanted to, she certainly could.

"Yeah, well, don't be _too_ open about your feelings about rich people when you start working here, Kira," Alison said dryly, smiling despite everything, "Most of your customers are going to be pretty well off. Please restrain your disdain." Kira rolled her icy blue eyes. "I'll try."

Alison nodded, though Margo was sure that for a second she saw a concerned look cross the younger's face before the smile became neutral again. Alison was good at hiding her emotions; it was one of the many reasons why Margo worried about her. "Okay then," Alison said, acting as if they were just talking about what to get for lunch, "We'll meet with the others. Mar, so we said you'll go out first, right?"

Margo hesitated, but nodded. She didn't want to leave Alison's side, but the blonde's plan was kind of the best (and only one) they had at the moment. "Alright." Margo submitted, "But you be careful, okay, Ali? Especially now that Spencer thinks you're -A." Alison smirked, another flash of pain crossing her cerulean eyes at the mention of the brunette, making Margo feel guilty. "I'm always careful." Margo snorted and started getting ready.

Alison turned and faced Margo as the older girl grabbed her belongings. "Mar," Alison said, nodding to the door, "Be careful, okay?" The shaggy-haired girl nodded, smiling despite the waves of shock still going. "Right, I'll see you across town then." Margo smiled and leaned forward, hugging Alison close. The other blonde hugged back. Excessive as it might be, they all had to be really careful. In the past nearly three and a half years, their lives had been put in danger over hundreds and hundreds of times. And many of those times hadn't even been from –A. They all hated thinking it, but who knew when the last time would be that they'd see each other? They never really would think about it too hard. As they parted, Alison watched as Margo nodded to Sam and Kira before she grabbed her grey hoodie with strings hanging from it. It would be easy to pull the strings and hide her face with the hood. She pulled it on and stuck her black, thick, wild tendrils under the hood and she sent one last caring glance at Alison before she opened the door and ducked out.

Alison turned to Sam and Kira, regarding both young women with a big smile. She couldn't help the warmth starting to surge in her stomach. They had both come all the way from New York, Brooklyn to Rosewood to help her and the others. Sure, she had gone from a much greater distance to come back to Rosewood to protect the girls and to protect other members of her chosen family, but given both Kira and Sam's lives, she was grateful to any contribution on their part-any effort.

A half hour past after Margo's departure, and that was when it was Sam's turn. Alison had written down directions to the hideout and knew that if anyone could find it, it was Sam, who had a naturally good sense of direction. The tall, slim skateboarder kicked the tail end of her skateboard with her foot and rocketed the skateboard up into her fingerless gloved hands, one of those hands gripping the crumpled up piece of paper with the directions written on it, grinning over at Alison and Kira. "I'll see you guys there, right?" She winked and went to the door as Alison nodded and Kira gave a small wave.

Sam exited quickly and the door closed. As soon as the other girl was gone, Kira turned to Alison. "Ali," Kira began, for once trying to pick her words carefully, "These girls…you obviously love them, right?" Alison blinked, surprised before her voice and eyes became fierce. "I love them more than the world." She said coolly, "I'd do anything for them." Kira held up her hands in a "don't shoot" fashion. "I know, I know. I'm pretty sure anyone with half a brain would know. But you're playing by the A-Team's rules. If we really want the A-Team gone, we need to stop them permanently. And if one of them actually thinks you're their leader, well that's even a bigger reason to do it, right?"

Not one muscle in Alison's even twitched. She knew what Kira was implying. "I think that a massacre will be a little too obvious, Kira." Alison said, putting her hands on her hips, a smirk tugging on her lips, "You and Sam are from out of town. Do you _want_ to bring suspicion to yourselves? Or to Shana, since she's from out of town too?" Kira shook her head, scoffing, "You know I don't mean that. Yeah, okay, maybe this town _should_ be burned to the ground because of how much of a hypocrite magnet it is, but that's the case with all suburbs, right? What I mean is, we can kill off all the A-Team members. We can sneak into their houses and-"

"Don't make me regret sending for you." Alison said, voice keeping calm, but the blonde allowed an edge to slip in. "I asked for you to come because I wanted someone strong and willing to do what was necessary. But I don't want a bloodbath. Even being sneaky about it, it would still bring too much attention to you and Sam and Shana. Besides, the people you're talking about killing? They're human beings. They have their reasons." Even as Alison said the words, she couldn't find herself feeling any empathy for Mona, for Lucas, for Toby, for Melissa, for any of them. They made their choices. Yes, what she did to them was awful, but for them to now take it out on the girls and make their lives living hells, and a living hell for anyone that they came into contact with? That was going too far, and Alison knew it.

Kira crossed her muscled arms over her chest. "So was the gang I used to be in. They had their reasons. Are you gonna excuse that for what they did to Maria and Cecelia?" Alison didn't move. A cold chill slithered down her back. Of all the gang members that had murdered Maria and Cecelia, back in Brooklyn, Kira had been the only one that had tried to stop it. When the massacre was over, Kira had run for it and had ended up running into Alison. The blonde, assuming that Kira had had something to do with the murders, almost stabbed a broken bottle through the black-haired girl's head in a fit of rage till Kira pleaded her case.

Kira continued, ignoring the alarm bells going off in her head at seeing Alison stiffen-knowing that the blonde had a dark side that made her own look tame, "The men that killed Maria and her very young child, Cecelia? Yeah, they had bad shit happen to them too. Just like you did. Just like I did. But that didn't excuse what they did. That didn't excuse 'Fat Bullet' slashing Cecelia's throat open in front of Maria, or 'Steel Bar' for putting a bullet in Cecelia's mother's head. So these –A losers had to deal with you bullying and manipulating them. Big fucking deal! They're the ones who decided to make this into a war. Well, you know what happens to people in wars?" Kira's eyes glinted with danger as she smirked.

Alison tried not to see logic in what Kira was saying. Tried to grasp on any kind of decency that she had been trying to maintain for the past three and a half years. Tried to tell herself that despite everything they had done, Mona, Lucas and the others deserved to live. But here was the thing. No police had bothered arresting 'Fat Bullet' (seriously, what kind of a street name was _that_?) and his men. They had been too afraid of him. Legally, there had been nothing that could have been done, save for a restraining order. If someone had just put Fat Bullet and his goons in their place, then Maria and her daughter would have still been alive.

If Lucas, Mona and the others were killed, how safe would Spencer, Emily, Hanna and Aria be? Alison would gather quite a lot safer than they were now. It wasn't about revenge. It was about survival.

"We'll think about that later." Alison said at last, finding no other words to use as an excuse, "Right now we have to get ready to meet up with Noel and Mrs. Grunwald." Alison found her face contorting in anger as she recalled the bloody sight of Maria and Cecelia. She snapped angry eyes to Kira, "Thanks for reminding me of what happened to them, Kira." Alison almost grinned with an acidic type of pleasure at seeing Kira flinch. "Oh look." Alison sneered, "She _does_ have a conscience." When the words came out, Alison felt a twinge of regret that she was reverting to old habits. But all that progress could be denied when dealing with something as morally questionable as what Kira was suggesting. Kira glared at Alison. "That's uncalled for." Kira grumbled, "All I'm saying is that you said that these people ran one of your friends over once, right? Didn't one of these guys try to stab one of them at a greenhouse too?"

Alison almost shivered, her vicious anger momentarily forgotten, thinking about Hanna in the hospital, near dead, and Emily almost being stabbed by a trowel in the greenhouse that she had practically had a front row seat to in that particular –A's mind. At her reaction, Kira continued, "So if they're a threat to the four girls you love so much, maybe a permanent solution would be better instead of sneaking around like this."

Alison heard the words, and whether she liked it or not, Kira's words sounded far more reasonable than any violent person's should. If they couldn't go to the police, how in danger would the girls be if they didn't enact a "permanent solution?" Alison tried not to feel another chill at the thought. She had tried to be better. She had been trying so hard. She was positive that adding "murder" to her list of wrongdoings would more or less overshadow all the good she tried to do. When she had killed Ian, it had been to protect Spencer. Though Alison wasn't going to lie and say that it didn't feel good to kill her tormentor. After all the years of his invasion of her privacy, his sexual abuse, his threats of doing the same to Spencer and the other girls...

And all the others...the explosion that she and Kira had caused, killing Fat Bullet and his gang in their hideout, various other people that had tried to abuse or do worse to the people that Alison had accepted into her life as family; that, legally speaking, _had_ been murder. But here was the thing, with no evidence, and the threats likely to come after them, what choice did they have at the time?

And now? How was it so different now? There might have been no biker gang, no drug lords, no serial killer like there had been in Baltimore that Alison and her two friends Jade and Quinn had run into, no child molesters like she and Shana had dealt with in Boston a year ago. Well, then again, it was Rosewood, so that last one could be very easily argued with. But still, the threat might not necessarily be ones that they had seen before, but they were still a big threat.

And this wasn't even getting into the subject about Wren and Spencer yet. Alison's stomach twisted as it always did when she thought about those two. Wren was a doctor, a respected man of Rosewood. He had a great deal of power in this town. And his eyes seemed to be fixed on Spencer. A girl whose word was already doubted, not just by the authorities, but by her own parents. She knew very well what that was like. To have the two people that were supposed to love and protect you most in the world to turn on you and not believe a thing you said. Kenneth and Jessica were no better. Alison's blood boiled as she thought of them, and of Veronica and Peter Hastings doing the same to their youngest. Wren. Wren. Damn him to hell, Wren. When he had kissed Spencer, kissed her of his own free will, Melissa might have broken up with him, but it was Spencer's parents that acted like Spencer was the one responsible, even though Wren was a grown ass man. And Ian. Fucking Ian. Ian had done nothing but toy with Spencer's life and at the end of the day, who did Veronica and Peter believe? Their own young daughter, or a man who had invaded all their lives? And what was worse, now Alison couldn't even come near Spencer's place anymore. The brunette thought Alison was the devil. Spencer-if she ever trusted Alison, she certainly didn't anymore.

She knew what she had told Maya in the car after they'd rescued the girl, but even then, Alison wasn't sure how much of her word she was going to back up when using any means necessary, and even then Nate or Lyndon, whatever, was the most obvious danger, at the time. Even if he was arrested now, at the time, he had been a big threat to Emily and Paige. Possibly the other girls too. Any act used on him was a necessary one. How soon would "necessary actions" have to be taken with the A-Team? It wasn't about having blood on their hands, it was a question of just _how_ much blood they wanted on their hands.

She didn't want to talk about this any longer. She knew that. She was already making sense of what Kira was saying. That was a bad sign. And she knew she'd explode if she thought about what Spencer had been through anymore. She quickly checked the time on her throwaway phone. She was relieved greatly when she saw it was getting close to the time that they should take off and head to the hideout. "Time to go." She said quickly, without turning to Kira. She grabbed her belongings and covered her face with a black hood, grabbing a wolf mask and covering her face with it. Kira walked over to the pile of black hoodies and picked up one, looking questioningly at Alison. Alison nodded and the black-haired girl slipped the hoodie on, covering her head with the hood and grabbing a mask of a snake's face from the floor.

Kira smirked down at the masks. "Where'd you get all these masks from, anyway, Ali?"

Alison chuckled, "Don't ask. Lets just say, we didn't exactly buy them." She heard a snort as Kira pulled on the mask. Alison walked to the door and pulled it open, again, keeping the bag with Spencer's Radley file and the birth certificate of herself and of her possible twin close to her, even as it was strapped to her back. She felt Kira's eyes fall on the pack but neither of them said anything as they both opened the door and went out. Alison turned off the lights, hit the switch by the door that turned on the security footage, closed the door and locked it and they both tore off into the woods, fast.

 **(Page break)**

The two bolted to the new hideout, Kira being led there by Alison having mapped out where all the hideouts were for years now. They slowed up and entered the ring of stones surrounding the building. This building, while slightly bigger, had only one window grafted into its structure. Alison went up to the thick, green painted door and knocked hard. She saw movement in the window and saw Noel look out between the white curtains. Alison smiled and pulled off her mask, taking down her hood, showing herself to Noel. She saw relief, but a strange worry cross her brother's face. He nodded and went to the door. The door was opened.

"Ali." Noel said, grinning. Alison smiled and came inside, hugging Noel around the waist, burying her face against his chest. She heard what had happened over the phone. Noel must have practically had a heart attack. She and Kira moved inside, Noel basically carrying his sister in and Kira following, pulling her mask and hood off. Once inside and Alison finally parted from her affectionate brother, she scanned the room, seeing Margo, Sam, Mrs. Grunwald, Patrick, Jack and of course…

The all too affectionate dog finally broke free of where Margo and Sam were trying to restrain him and Zoomy bolted at Alison, jumping up and licking all over her face, yapping happily. Alison immediately found all her anxiety and anger momentarily lost to the wind as the ecstatic animal attacked her with slobbery kisses and she laughed. "Okay, Zoomy, okay. I missed you, yes. You can calm down now. Easy boy, easy. She finally got the large bloodhound to settle down on the ground, though he was still trying to jump up, with Alison's hands on his back. Kira grinned, walking over and leaning down, letting the all too grateful dog to jump on her instead. Alison wiped away some of the slobber and turned to everyone else.

"Is everyone okay?" Alison asked, suppressing the new laugh, knowing that this was serious. "We're alright." Mrs. Grunwald said, she turned her head to Patrick and Jack, "But I think my grandson and Patrick have something they need to tell you."

Patrick and Jack ran over to Alison and the blonde wiped more of Zoomy's slobber off her. "Easy guys," She reasoned, "I've got dog slobber all over me-" That didn't seem to deter the boys at all as they both hugged their older sister around her waist and she sighed, patting their heads with each hand. "What happened, guys?" She looked down at them and they parted from her. Jack looked frightened and Patrick looked excited. Alison narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out if she should be worried about the difference of expressions. "Ali," Patrick said happily, "I met someone that looks a lot like you!"

Alison's heart thudded when she heard that. She knew what Noel had said over the phone. But hearing Patrick confirm it, not to mention that he sounded happy about it, left a dry taste in her mouth and made her stomach drop. "I see…" Alison said, not sure what else to say about this. Patrick nodded, put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a necklace with a gold, small, flat chain, and a little glowing blue dolphin figurine attached. "She gave me this! She said that she got it for you once at an aquarium. And she said you got her one too with a turtle. She still has it." Patrick added, grinning, "She said her name was Courtney."

Alison felt an involuntary shiver run through her. Courtney…her sister, her twin. She was real.

"And she looked just like me?" Alison asked, feeling the words come out hollow, almost feeling like a machine while she asked the words, barely finding any emotions to feel at this moment. "Almost." Patrick said, still grinning, not seeming to notice Alison's unfeelingness in the question, "She's not as tall and she's got lighter hair than you. Also, her eyes are a little different. And she's got a scar." Alison, before she could ask what Patrick meant about "Courtney's" eyes, blinked at the mention of a scar. "What scar?" She asked, "Where?" "Here." Patrick explained, fingers going to the middle of his forehead, to the right and going down diagonally across his face-across the bridge of his nose and down to the beginning of his left cheek.

Alison swallowed hard. Courtney might be real. And she was inches away from two children that were incredibly vulnerable. And Courtney, if Alison's connection with the other revealed anything, it was that this twin was extremely violent. She didn't even want to think about what almost happened to Emily at the greenhouse. She slowly turned to Jack, wanting to hear what happened from him. Jack shivered and shook his head. "She wasn't a good person." Jack said finally. "I know Patrick thinks this person was nice, but I felt it. She's terrifying. She's a danger."

Alison nodded. Though she couldn't stomach the thought of Jack or Patrick being near Courtney, she was relieved that at least one of them had the gift that he did. She turned back to Patrick. "Let me see that." She reached out for the necklace and Patrick happily handed it to her. Alison brought the necklace up, staring at it. It didn't look familiar. She felt like it should have, but it didn't. She handed it back to Patrick and asked the small boy, "Courtney, was there anything strange about her, Patrick, that you could see? Was she laughing or twitching at all?" Alison knew she was making a stereotype about mentally ill people, but she had seen plenty of people like that on the streets of New York. She had to know just how mentally disturbed Courtney was. If her mental illness was visible or not. Or if Courtney was the more dangerous kind. It _wasn't_ obvious and her "maybe" twin could conceal the danger. Patrick seemed to think for a moment before shaking his head. "Nope. But she said she loves you very much." Alison swallowed when she heard this. She didn't want to think about what this crazed person's idea of love was. Alison sighed, worried even more now. Great. If this "Courtney" could hide her insanity, that made her even more dangerous. She looked over at the disturbed Mrs. Grunwald. She sighed, walking over past the boys to her. Mrs. Grunwald lifted herself up and wrapped her arms around the girl. "Alison." The elderly woman said happily, "I'm so glad you're alright." Alison laughed into the warmth of this wonderful woman.

"Shouldn't I be saying that about you?" She said smirking. Mrs. Grunwald chuckled as they separated. The woman reached into her fluffed jacket pocket, pulling out a long, silver object with a sharp end, making Alison's eyes widen. "This," Mrs. Grunwald said before Alison could ask, "Is the dart that –A used on Zoomy to knock him out. This –A came prepared." Alison's mouth dropped. A tranquilizer dart. Thankfully, from Zoomy's overly enthusiastic reaction, it hadn't had any permanent affect, but this was troubling.

Alison found the words coming out, knowing that everyone needed to hear this. "She had a tranquilizer dart? Where did she get that, I wonder? I think the only way she'd get that is with the help of a doctor with access to those drugs." Even as Alison spoke, she knew she was demonizing Wren Kingston, but she didn't care. It was likely. It was logical. And Wren was a creep. She saw Margo stand up from where she sat on the sofa chair against the wall. "You mean, Wren?" The shaggy-haired girl said, already knowing the answer.

Alison nodded, "My sister, or whoever the heck she is, she couldn't have gotten this alone." She stared at the dart, "How the hell has she even stayed hidden this long? If she looks so much like me, she couldn't have shown herself out in Rosewood that much. Not unless she wanted people in town to talk. How has she been hiding out and no one has found her?" Noel turned to her, curious. "You think Wren has been hiding her?"

Alison threw her hands up. "Well, why not? He's plenty shady. Who knows how much money he has and we don't know anything about him. He might have hidden her. And if Courtney _is_ –A, then Wren could be keeping her safe while he provides her with the money she needs to do what she wants to the girls. And remember that cream that put Emily in the hospital?"

Alison watched as Noel thought for a moment and seemed to remember. "Oh, right." He grimaced, "I remember. Yeah, yuck. Crap, you're right. That makes a lot of sense." He then added, smirking, "Oh, and Ali? I saw Spencer before I left for Ravenswood. She looked really pissed and chewed Toby out. She knows and doesn't want him around anymore."

Alison smirked before she could stop herself. A triumphant thrill shot into her stomach. Spencer hated Toby now. At least now she knew him for the danger he was. Even if Spencer saw Alison the same way, at least Toby was cast out of the brainiac's life too. A worried thought came to her and she lost her smirk. "Yeah. But that means now that we should probably keep a closer watch than ever on Spencer. She might be in even more danger by what she knows." Noel nodded.

"Yeah," Kira grumbled, "And never mind that Hastings also thinks you're-" "Kira!" Alison snapped, quickly shushing the other girl before Patrick, Jack or Mrs. Grunwald could hear. At Alison, Margo and Sam's urgent looks, Kira rolled her eyes and grumbled, "Alright, alright."

"But what would Wren be motivated by?" Margo asked, looking around, trying to scout the others for answers, also trying to get them away from the subject of Spencer thinking that Alison was -A, "What does he get out of it?" Alison tried not to feel disgust rising as she thought of the Radley document in her bag that once again felt like a branding iron against her back. "Spencer." Alison said finally. "He gets Spencer. I think he's wanted her for a while." Alison felt the weight of the stares thrown her way, questioning what she meant by that, and the blonde knew that she had to start telling them about what she knew. She looked down at the staring boys next to her and quickly said to Noel, "Noel, could you take Jack and Patrick to the back room? There are some board games there they can play with, please?" Noel nodded, smiling, knowing that this was a discussion that was about to take a very dark adult turn. He walked over and laid gentle hands on the boys' shoulders and directed them to the wall where a door was. He opened the door and herded both boys inside.

As Zoomy trailed after them and the door closed, Alison turned to Kira. "Kira, could you join them?" Kira lifted her eyebrows. "What?" She asked, "You're not gonna tell me what's going on?" "Kira, please." Alison said, shoulders sagging. She didn't want to get angry, but Kira couldn't be allowed to know what Wren might have done, not unless she wanted Kira to risk exposing them. Kira had more control than a lot of other people that Alison was allies with, but she was still a time bomb. Just not a ticking one. Yet.

"Okay, okay." Kira rolled her eyes, walking past Alison and going to the door. She looked over at Alison and added, "Just saying, a permanent solution would do the trick." She opened the door, went in and closed the door. Sam looked at Alison. "What was that about?" Alison waved her hand, "Don't ask. About Wren," Alison felt her strength nearly leave her, forcing her to mount as much of that strength as she could to get the next words out, "I think Wren has been stalking Spencer for a while. Even before Spencer and the other girls started getting the texts. Isn't it weird that Melissa was the one that he was engaged to, yet it's Spencer that he keeps popping up near? Seriously, whenever Spencer is there, Wren shows up. It's weird."

Alison knew that she probably sounded like she was blowing things out of proportion, but when looked at closely, it looked pretty bad. And that wasn't even getting into the file that she had in her pack that she was terrified, frankly of anyone seeing. Knowing that Spencer had been at Radley at that young age was terrible, she couldn't imagine anyone else knowing.

She looked at how Margo, Sam and Mrs. Grunwald absorbed this information. Margo said, "Well, when you put it like that…"

"So this was one of the older guys that was after Spencer?" Sam asked, looking innocent, though Alison knew that Sam was very familiar with predatory older men. She nodded. As Alison predicted, Sam's gaze turned dark-much to Alison's satisfaction. Sam, when Alison had first met her as "Dana Call," had had to lock herself in her room and bathroom at the orphanage, trying to avoid the male counselors who weren't exactly subtle about what they wanted with the underage girl. So when Alison offered for Sam to grab some of the younger girls and run away with her, Sam had done just that and she and the other girls at the orphanage had grabbed their freedom first chance they got.

Sam knew a little too well about predatory men. It was this awareness that Alison was grateful for, and one of the reasons why she had requested for Sam specifically to come here. "I'll admit it does sound strange," Mrs. Grunwald said, sounding concerned. "And what about Fitz? You know, Aria's boyfriend? He's kind of the same as Wren, you know?" Margo added, looking pale at the thought. Alison nodded, sighing. She hadn't forgotten about Ezra Fitz. The only reason why he had been as safe as he was still, was because Aria loved him so much and Alison didn't want to hurt the small girl by doing anything to the teacher. It was the same reason why she was hesitant to do anything to Melissa. She couldn't bear the thought of how it would likely hurt Spencer. "I don't know. I don't know." Alison grumbled, "Maybe he's involved. But I can't accuse him without reason. And as much as I'd like to reveal his and Aria's relationship and get Fitz arrested, I don't want Aria to go through that. She loves him too much."

Alison was glad that she masterfully kept her face as neutral as possible. She didn't reveal anything to the others about her feelings towards Wren or Spencer. She began speaking again, trying to keep her voice careful as she glanced at the door where the boys had disappeared off to, then looked back at Mrs. Grunwald, all three of the people in the room with her, watching in concern as she contemplated everything. "Mrs. Grunwald, tell me exactly how this person that appeared in Ravenswood acted before Noel arrived. This person was wearing a hoodie?"

Mrs. Grunwald nodded. "Yes. Jack and Patrick were playing, and the figure approached. I tried to keep them away after they put that dart in Zoomy's neck, and when I spoke to the person, they let out a laugh that was so horrid and almost demonic…and," Grunwald hesitated, distress all over her face, "Alison, I don't know how to explain this. It…if this is your sister, she is deranged. Completely deranged. Dangerously deranged. She is in serious need of help. She's so twisted." Grunwald paled, "It felt like poison was spilling out of her. Her aura felt twisted and monstrous." Alison almost shivered at the words. The idea that she had a twin this messed up made her blood run cold. Even more so, because honestly…how different did that make her from Alison before she had tried to change?

Alison tried not to let her stomach turn at this, and kept her face calm. "Okay," She began, feeling her resolve reassemble shakily, "We sort of have an idea of whose at the top of our –A-Team list. Wren and my possible twin. I don't think we even know where to start with my sister, except maybe Radley. That's the only explanation as to how I never knew about her till now. She had to have been locked up there for a while." Alison knew she was trying to make sense of this bizarre mess, but it really was the best explanation that was there. How else had she not been aware of Courtney this whole time?

She watched as the other three occupants in the room absorbed this. As she started trying to think of a plan, her leg vibrated and she reached into her pants, pulling out her throwaway phone. "Sorry." She mumbled to the others and pressed the text icon on the phone. It was from Cece. Her eyes widened as she read the message. Her heart thundered as she feared for Emily.

She pulled her face from the phone and looked at the others. "Jason's in the hospital." She said urgently, "He was dropped from an elevator shaft. Emily was with him. And she's at the hospital with him now." "Whoa, what?" Margo asked, stunned. Alison would have laughed if she hadn't just been smacked with the shock of Emily being in that kind of danger again. That really had been the regular reaction for them nowadays, hadn't it?

"Yeah." Alison said, deleting Cece's message and shoving the phone back into her pocket, "I need to check on her. And Sam, we need to get you and Kira to your jobs." She looked at Mrs. Grunwald. "We need to find a place for you, Jack and Patrick and Zoomy to stay safe." A smile crossed her face at a thought. She leaned in close to Grunwald, not sure that they weren't being listened in on and spoke to her incredibly quietly, "Margo will call Duncan, and ask him to fly the four of you somewhere. I have an idea of where you can stay for a while."

Mrs. Grunwald smiled and nodded. A few minutes later, everyone had gotten ready. Patrick and Jack were still at the Monopoly board, Jack was throwing the dice quickly. Noel had all of the bags with their belongings on hand and carried them over. Kira was looking up from where she had crouched next to the boys at the scene. Alison told him everything hurriedly and they started moving on out. Margo stayed behind with the boys and Mrs. Grunwald and Zoomy, texting Duncan on her throwaway phone. Noel left with Sam, promising they'd meet at Noel's place, knowing there was no one there right now and that there were cameras there in case anyone tried to spy on them.

As they got ready, Alison gestured for Sam and Kira to come over. "You guys need to know who the enemies are," She began, fishing out her throwaway phone again and went to the picture icon. She tapped on one, which was a picture of Toby. She showed them the picture. "This is Toby Cavanaugh. He is Spencer's boyfriend. You can't tell him that you know. That'll put you in danger. She knows that he's part of the A-Team, but so far she's done nothing about it." She flicked to more photos, showing them Lucas, then Mona, then Melissa, then Darren Wilden, then Jenna Marshall, hesitantly sending Noel a regretful look, before showing them another picture. This one of Wren Kingston. She, for the sake of Kira not being set off, did not mention what Wren's likely intentions with Spencer were.

After that crash course in knowing the enemies, Sam and Kira nodded about remembering the faces and Alison advised them to keep low.

Noel and Sam both hugged Alison goodbye, both the older boy and the dark-skinned girl casting incredibly protective glances the blonde's way as they departed. When Sam was about to walk out of the place with Noel, she turned back and ran over and hugged Alison one last time, whispering to her sister, dark brown eyes afraid that Alison needed to be careful and because Spencer thought Ali was -A, she had to make sure the girl didn't hurt her, even if she did care deeply about Spencer, before walking back towards Noel. As they disappeared, Alison smiling after them fondly, warmth spreading in her chest, so happy that she had them in her life, ignoring the pain that came with Sam's mention of Spencer, she turned back to the closest she had to a loving grandmother.

"Mrs. Grunwald," She said, "You know I have to go. I have to see if Emily's alright." The elderly woman nodded, smiling. "It's alright." The woman said, walking over, "I assure you. Oh, and Alison?" She leaned in and hugged the blonde close, laying a small kiss to the blonde's forehead, "It's Carla, sweet girl." Alison blushed, smiling, hugging the woman tightly. "I understand, Carla." She said as the woman stroked her hair caringly.

She parted from the kindly woman and as she looked to the others in the room, Margo gave Alison a close hug as well, seeing her dear friend and sister off, Alison nodded to them, hugging and saying goodbye to Patrick and Sam and the dog.

Alison and Kira waited till at least half an hour had passed by before making sure the locks were still working and that Margo was armed, before they left as well. Before they took off, Mrs. Grunwald spoke up, "Kira!" Kira turned and looked at the woman, her mask in hand. Grunwald smiled, "Make sure you watch Alison, dear. She's…she's precious. To all of us." Alison almost shivered at those words. Almost felt tears accumulate, because god, since when had she had this many people genuinely care about her instead of having ulterior motives? She almost gaped when she saw how serious Kira looked as the former gang member stood up straighter. "Lady," Kira said, "If anyone even thinks they're gonna lay a hand on Ali with me around, they got another thing coming." Mrs. Grunwald smiled and nodded happily. Alison's mouth dropped a little as Kira turned and smiled at her sister and the two of them walked out. Kira grinned, making sure the door was locked before taking off into the forest. Alison's grin came onto her face, a thrill running through her that she had this-something she thought she'd never have and put her mask on. The two fled through the forest, both masked and hooded. As they ran in the direction of the hospital, Alison tried not to think about how much sense Kira's words made about getting rid of everyone on the A-Team. But it was really hard not to think about it when Emily had almost been killed in an elevator shaft. And it worsened far more as she tugged the straps of the pack holding Spencer's Radley file as she thought about what Wren intended with her dear one. Nothing, not even Spencer despising her would keep her away from the girls.

 **Author's verrrryyyy long note:**

 **Okay, sorry for the long delayed chapter, folks. I had to deal with midterms and papers and stuff. Hope this long chapter made up for it. So yes, this is getting pretty complicated and dark now. I hate telling you this, but it's only gonna get worse from here.**

 **Oh, and another thing, I'm sure you've noticed that the time between when Alison went missing and when the body was found has altered from the last few chapters. That's because I'm changing it. So that it has more in common with the books. In the books, three years pass before the body's found.**

 **And for those that might say that that doesn't work or isn't a good idea, I want to point out that time doesn't seem to make sense in the TV series. I felt like the girls were younger than they actually were in the first episode on the TV series. I felt it wasn't natural. So Alison was fourteen or fifteen when she went missing. And what? By the third season, the girls have made it to senior year? Senior year? So all that crap between when Alison went missing and when they locked Mona up, that time all passed by? In theory, when the season starts after a year passes when the body is found, the girls are sixteen, right? That means in theory, they have two more years till college. That amount of time did not pass till the third season. Only five months past. And then the girls would still be seventeen.**

 **And then the world's longest year happens through seasons 3, 4, 5 and part of 6 and they're off to college. Does THAT make sense?**

 **Sorry for my rambling, but the plot holes in this series drives me up the wall. So this may not make sense, but time doesn't make much sense either in the books or the TV show. So please don't mind the construction.**

 **So yes, the three years in the books are in this series, which means Alison disappeared for three years before the body was found, Alison disappeared when she was almost fifteen, and the girls are almost seventeen, are in their junior year, because not THAT much time has passed in the first two seasons. Sheesh. Give me a break.**


	20. When you know you shouldn't be happy

**Trigger warnings for violence, stalking, murder, mentions of attempted rape, pedophilia and insanity.**

 **Chapter 20: When you know you shouldn't be happy**

Kira and Alison had flown through the forest, likely fooling any A-Team member that was lurking around-thinking more than likely that this was two of their own with the black hoodies and masks the two had on. They had raced through the forest till they hit the hospital, staying in the forest as they couldn't risk being caught by security cameras hanging from the hospital's walls and stationed at the hospital's doors.

Kira looked at Alison from where she stood and watched as the masked, hooded girl jumped up onto a tree and began climbing, one tree branch after another. Kira smirked, and hopped up on the branch closest to her, starting to climb too. Climbing up the trees wasn't hard for either of them, considering their misadventures in the past. What was hard was figuring out where to stop. Kira peered over to Alison and Alison held up her right hand, signaling for Kira to stop climbing. Alison got up on the center of one of the branches, leaning back against it, she looked to Kira who settled for sitting down on a branch and watching Alison's next move.

Alison fished out her cell phone and started texting someone, Kira could only assume Cece Drake. Alison sent the text and kept her hand at her side, waiting as patiently as she could. A few minutes later the text came in and Alison opened it. Looking at it, Alison turned to Kira, and texted something again. Kira felt her side buzz and she pulled out her phone, looking at it. The text read, _"They're on this side. On the sixth floor. Room 6D. Follow me."_ Alison started climbing again and Kira put her phone away, following up, counting the floors they had passed already.

Alison leapt from this tree to the next, landing hard against the trunk, but grabbing onto another branch and keeping herself from falling and kept climbing. Kira watched, laughter caught in her throat. If there was one thing she had always known Alison to be, it was fearless. Alison got to the middle of the branch of a tall tree and stationed herself there as Kira climbed up to join her. They stayed there when Kira reached the blonde and looked in through the window, seeing a handsome, dirty blonde-haired man in a hospital bed, a brace around his neck. In the window that separated the man and the hallway of the hospital, were three young girls, two with dark hair and one blonde. They were talking when another girl joined them, also dark-haired.

Kira recognized each of these girls quickly. The three girls already in the hall were Emily, Hanna and Aria. The girl that just joined them was Spencer. Spencer was talking as if urgently to Emily and holding her hand out to the darker haired girl, as if to take something. With this interaction, the blonde man, who Kira could only assume was Jason DiLaurentis, Alison's biological, shit brother, got up from his bed and started wandering out of the room, going past the hospital hallway without the girls seeing him. Kira perked her head up. She mumbled quietly, unable to keep back her curiosity, "Why'd Jason walk off without talking to the girls?"

"Shh," Alison whispered, "I don't know. But we shouldn't talk too loudly. You can never be too paranoid in this town." Kira smirked, but said nothing. She'd ask questions later.

The four girls rushed into the room, unsurprisingly to find Jason gone and shocked. Alison looked through the window more closely; Kira was guessing to make sure that Emily wasn't harmed in any way. Alison nodded. "Emily's fine. Lets go."

The two warriors watched and after seeing that the girls weren't going to show any more signs of what was wrong, they started hopping down the branches. When they got to the ground, Alison rushed through the forest and Kira followed.

 **(Page break)**

Kira eventually followed Alison to the warehouse at one edge of town and watched as Alison pulled her hoodie off and the mask, putting them both down on the barren floor gently. Her right leg vibrated and Alison pulled her phone out, checking it. She smiled, looking up at Kira. _"Good news, Patrick, Jack, Zoomy and Carla are safe. Duncan's taken them to a safe location. I'm going to delete this now."_ Alison responded to the text, then deleted that and the text she received.

Kira pulled off her own mask and hoodie. "I assume that we'll check on them later, right?" Alison nodded. "Yep."

Kira watched the blonde, feeling the blunt words come out, and wondering if she should be more careful in what she said, "So you must really hate Jason, huh?" Alison stiffened while she was putting her phone away, hand freezing in the pocket. She locked eyes with Kira's bright blue ones. "Not exactly. I don't hate him. I have problems with him, but hate is a strong word. You're bringing this up, why?" Alison's body immediately went into a defensive posture, shoulders tense, head cocked, eyes narrowed.

Kira shrugged muscled shoulders, a rare twinge of regret squirming. "You know? You didn't even look more than a few seconds at Jason while he was in the hospital bed. Or watch him while he was leaving, except to take off. And you were watching the girls for way longer than you were watching him. I know what you said happened, but, do you really hate him?"

"Is this even a question?" Alison cocked her head, "Coming from _you_ of all people?" Kira almost laughed. Ali had a point. Kira hated her parents. The first chance she got, after her father had broken his "wayward daughter's" right arm, Kira had bolted out of her window and run away, as fast as her legs could carry her. "Good point." She admitted, "But I'd just like confirmation." Alison stared hard into Kira's eyes, a lighter blue than even the blonde's and said coolly, "You know his and my history, don't you? Every chance he got, he told me that I shouldn't have been born. Every chance he got, he got coked up and ignored me, or got angry and smacked me. All because he felt rejected by our parents. And when he had his…friends over, they'd try to…," Alison's lower jaw tightened and Kira felt a spike of bloodlust. A desire to go back to the hospital, grab Jason, drag him back to his room and smother him with his bed's pillow.

"Does that answer your question?" Alison said in an icy tone. Kira nodded, her guilt, once a sliver, now expanding to a hundred shards. It was rare but Kira regretted forcing Alison to bring it up.

"Yeah," Kira almost growled, thinking about what a shit ass brother Jason was, "I guess it does. Sorry." Alison looked startled for a moment by the apology, but smiled slightly. "It's okay. I guess it's understandable. I act like he's the worst person alive, so obviously you wanted to know why. I'm sorry I'm acting like a bitch." Kira nodded, though the awful taste in her mouth wasn't going to go away anytime soon. In desperation to lighten the mood, Kira added, "It's alright. I'm not one to judge about being a bitch, right?"

Alison chuckled, then looked like she was considering something and as Kira was about to ask what, the other girl spoke up, "I suppose not. I have a bad history of it though." Kira shrugged. "So do I." Alison smiled wryly, "-A is getting closer. He….she….my possible twin," Alison's voice came with a laugh when she said that, shaking her head in disbelief, "I don't know….if they were able to find out about Patrick, Jack and Carla, I don't know who else is actually safe."

Kira nodded, stepping forward. She didn't want to bring this up, since Alison had been very much against this before, but facts were facts. The police wouldn't help them, and there was very little evidence that they knew of.

War was war, and often, people died in war. If they actually decided to kill people that were on the A-Team, wouldn't it make a difference?

Kira, however, held her tongue. Alison didn't want to talk about it. Kira's eyes traveled to Alison's pack. It was a bag of some kind, strapped to the blonde's back. "Ali?" Kira said quietly, "What is that? On your back. You haven't taken it off since I've seen you."

Alison stiffened and Kira groaned, realizing that she had just stumbled onto something she shouldn't be asking about. Alison, however, chose to speak, "It's not…" Alison hesitated. She was going to say, "It's not important" but of course, that would be a lie, wouldn't it? It was probably one of the most important things right now besides that birth certificate. But she couldn't tell anyone until Spencer knew, about the Radley file on the brilliant young woman. She just couldn't.

Instead, Alison found other words coming out, "It's something that isn't my place to show." And looked away, going back to putting cameras up and checking them. At the short sentence and how Alison was avoiding looking at her, Kira knew that this part of the conversation had run its course. Right, she wouldn't ask about it again. The black-haired girl seethed quietly. She didn't know about that pack on Ali's back, but it was no wonder why Alison was so willing to forget Jason and their parents and to choose Noel, Cece, Shana, Kira herself, Sam and everyone else as family over the said three abusers that Alison was forced to grow up with till she was fourteen.

Kira felt her blood boil. "These fucking boys that came over while your brother was high," She said evenly, "Are any of them still around Rosewood?" Alison stiffened a moment as she gauged Kira and shook her head. "I have no idea. About some of them anyway. I think I saw one guy that works now at the Brew." Alison seethed at the thought of that creep, Zach being that close to the girls, but pushed it aside. No matter how much she wanted to kill him, as far as she could tell, he hadn't laid a hand on any of the girls…yet. She was glad that she had told Noel to tell Sam to look out for Zach and point the bastard out when Sam went to the place. She should know.

Alison shrugged, trying to ignore the lingering thoughts of the other boys that had been at the DiLaurentis house years ago. Most of them had gone off to other towns and cities. Likely to have happy, entitled lives while they leered at other women and young girls.

It was one of the many reasons why this town infuriated her so utterly much. The wealthy and privileged got away with heinous crimes in general, but this town attracted the lowest like maggots to a corpse. Alison almost chuckled at that very crude and morbid, but appropriate analogy she had just thought up.

Alison sighed, "Never mind. Have you had dinner yet?" Kira thought for a moment before her stomach growled loudly. Alison laughed. "I guess that answers my question. I haven't eaten much either. Thankfully I stored some food here earlier." Kira nodded, looking towards the two humming mini fridges were up against the wall and an open crate with canned beans and soup. She narrowed her eyes, remembering Noel once mentioning that he and Alison had brought food to this area and that no one besides them ever came here, so it was safe to put the food there.

A question popped in the former street thug's mind. "A stove?" She asked Alison. The blonde chuckled, "Don't worry. There's more than one room in this place. I guess it was once a shack or something. I found it while I was looking around the town for any place –A might be hiding before I left. There's a stove in the next room. Some pots and silverware too. No bowls and plates weirdly. Noel and I had to bring those in ourselves. So," Alison turned to Kira, smirking, "I might be better at cooking than I used to be, but I think I can heat up some soup, don't you?" Kira tried not to chortle. She had never had much skills in the way of making food, but Alison had surprised her and Sam one time when they were hiding out in Boston once with a startlingly delicious feast of grilled and barbecued chicken. It was one of those few times when Kira felt like her heart was warmed up. When she had looked at Sam, she had seen that the dark-skinned girl felt the same way. It was likely that very much akin to Kira, Sam had never really experienced a warm, loving home. Alison, Noel, Cece, Shana, Margo, Duncan, Erica and the others offered that and more.

Kira, not wanting Alison to see how easily flustered she was over remembering how touched she had actually been at the blonde and her family's actions, nodded and followed the other girl into the next room where there was indeed a stove and a shelf bearing plates, bowls and silverware.

"Don't ask who left the stove and the fridges." Alison shrugged, "I have no clue. These were here when Noel and I found the place. So, what do you want to eat?" Alison looked at Kira expectantly and while Kira opened her mouth to tell her sister that she could cook up some simple soup or beans herself, an odd tug at her chest told her to let the other girl do it. She didn't know why, but she understood at that moment that by making the food for Kira, Alison was trying to be a good friend and sister. Kira had never been one in the way for manners, but after having her mouth agape after putting those pieces together, she quickly mumbled out, almost flushing again, "Chicken soup is fine. I know it's weird, but I love that stuff."

Alison laughed, walking to the room they just walked out of and brought back a can of soup. "It's not weird at all. It tastes good. There are some bowls over there, if you want to get one." Kira nodded, walking to the counter and pulled out one of the bowls. She mumbled, concerned for the other girl, "What are you gonna eat, Ali?" "Don't worry about it," Alison called over without looking at the former gang member, putting a small pot on the stove and turning on the flame, pulling a can opener out of a drawer, "There are some apples I put in the fridge recently. I took them from a store only a couple of days ago. They're still good."

Kira paused as she grabbed a spoon from the silverware pile. She wasn't worried when she heard the "took it" part. She knew damn well that everyone in their group was quite experienced when it came to thievery. It was the part where Alison basically said that she was only having apples to eat. Kira slanted her eyes towards the blonde, ice blue orbs stuck to her sister's back. She knew how much Alison ran around from place to place. She really hoped Ali was looking after herself.

A few minutes later, the soup was heated up, spilled into Kira's bowl and Alison had a bunch of apples in front of her, picking one of the red fruits up and biting into it as she pulled out one of the documents from her backpack-the birth certificate, of course. She laid the document out on the table and pulled the drawstrings of the bag up, hiding Spencer's Radley file again and throwing the pack over her shoulder, keeping the pack there protectively as she sat down, keeping the pack between herself and the chair. She opened the document on the table, where Kira sat next to her and the blonde stared at the file cautiously, trying to get as much information as she could, the USB drive that she had saved all the information on of this document, burning in her right pocket.

Watching Alison, Kira shoved a spoonful of soup into her mouth, still stunned that she had been this lucky to be accepted by the other girl, and by her friends. Being in a gang wasn't exactly the ideal version of a "family" per se, was it? Sure, the way to get peoples' loyalty was to promise them likeminded people and companionship, a chance of not being alone, but even when Kira joined "Fat Bullet's" group, she had known there was no real love there. No more than in her father's house, being beaten for his affection every chance he got. Sure, she'd earn affection and respect, that is, _if_ she did as she was told. If she lived up to their expectations.

When she had first met Alison and the others, she had taken the blonde as a shallow, entitled, self-serving airhead that wouldn't have a clue about the real world. Alison's exact words at the time had been, _"Oh, sorry, you must have mistaken me for my younger self. You missed her a year ago. Get back to me when you have a time machine, punk. Otherwise, get out of our way and let me see if that woman and her daughter are alright."_

And of course, the end of that story turned Kira's stomach, every time she thought of it. And it had almost ended with Alison jamming shards of glass into the then very terrified Kira's head as the raging runaway demanded answers from the gang member after seeing the bodies.

But Kira, having discovered a frightening, but kind, gentle, protective, loyal and cunning warrior beneath what she originally expected of the blonde, couldn't keep her respect, intrigue, or her eventual protectiveness, friendship, loyalty and even love.

It looked like a messed up, abused runaway like Kira had naturally ended up with someone just as abused but just as much a survivor, just through different means.

It was a horrible thing to think, and even Kira knew it, but as she sat there, taking in watching Alison who was looking at the birth certificate, not noticing how she was being gawked at in that current moment, Kira couldn't help but be utterly grateful to Jason, Jessica and Kenneth DiLaurentis. She should thank them. She should thank Jason for his neglect and abuse and Jessica and Kenneth for their neglect and abuse. Because if they hadn't, Alison would never have left. And Kira would never have met the runaway. She knew how horrible that thought was and hated Alison's parents and brother for how they treated the blonde, but still, she was grateful to them in that moment for driving Alison into Kira's life and into Sam's.

Alison was their sister now. Kira and Sam were more of Alison's sisters than Jason had _ever_ been her brother. And if it hadn't been for Ali, she'd never have met Margo either. Kira quickly looked down into the basin of the bowl, holding her chicken soup and avoided looking at Alison again before the other noticed how scrupulously she was being stared at, trying not to think about Margo or her selfishness, (which she always did).

Given that Kira was now staring at her food, Alison kept scanning over the certificate, chomping into the red apple in her left hand, as she kept her eyes glued to the time typed out on the certificate. According to this, Courtney DiLaurentis was born at 5:00 PM. Twenty minutes after Alison herself. Before Alison could think better of it, a strange warmth filled her stomach. Courtney was the baby of the family. Alison felt a smile tug at her lips. She knew what –A was. She knew what her sister had done. But even knowing that, an odd protective edge swelled inside herself. Her little sister. She had a little sister. A psychotic little sister, but a little sister anyway.

And a twin on top of everything else. It was strange, but it somehow made a lot of sense. It explained so much of the strange things she had experienced, even before first leaving Rosewood.

She remembered. Noel and Cece were the first ones besides her that had seen an incident like that.

 **Flashback:**

 **Almost four years ago:**

 **Alison: Age thirteen:**

 **Rosewood: Noel's House:**

 _Cece was pouring some wine for herself, smacking Noel's hand when he reached for the slender glass on the counter. "Ah ah ah." The woman mocked Noel, smirking, your parents are just in the next room. Wouldn't want them to see you drink, now, would you?"_

 _Noel rolled his eyes and turned to the smirking Alison, who was leaning back against the sofa, smirking at the two with amusement. Eric Kahn, Cece's current boyfriend was out getting a pack of beer, clearly ignoring their parents' rules of any alcohol in the house, which Cece had already violated. But all three of them were glad he was gone. Not that Noel didn't love the guy, but Eric wasn't one of them. He was family, but he wasn't. At least not with them. And he was pretty sure Eric knew that too. He loved Eric, but even Eric knew that there was a special bond between his little brother, Alison and Cece. He wasn't going to be stupid enough to get in the way of that. Not unless he wanted to lose his little brother completely. He cared about Ali too._

 _Alison reached out for the glass of white wine and Cece kept it close, still smirking. "Are you kidding me, Ali?" Cece purred, "It I'm not giving this to Noel, I sure as hell won't give you any alcohol, sweetie. Dream on." Alison snorted, pouting, but her mouth turned into a smirk and she turned away. She grumbled, "Since when has that stopped you from getting me things I shouldn't be doing in the past?" The thirteen-year-old, going on fourteen had learned that Hanna was off with her parents in New York for a trip, Spencer was studying per usual, Emily was at one of her swim meets, and Aria was out having lunch with her family, something Alison had promised not to scoff at in front of anyone after they discovered Byron Montgomery and Meredith in the car, kissing. But that was how it was apparently._

" _So," Cece said, looking over at the flat screen TV Noel's parents had just bought, "What movie are we thinking of watching?" Noel laughed, "Like I'm going to have a choice between you two? You probably already made up your minds. Lemme guess; The Notebook, The Titanic, The-"_

" _Oh hell no," Cece waved a hand, sipping her wine, "The Titanic we've seen too many times to count. As for The Notebook, excuse me as I don't want to see a movie about one of the most toxic relationships in the world." Alison tried not to laugh loudly. She and pretty much every other girl at her school said that The Notebook was a romantic movie, but it was something that reminded Alison a little too much of her own hectic home. She watched it to entertain the other girls, but she would rather not watch it. "Or," Cece said, looking down at the stack of DVDs she had brought just for Alison and Noel, "We could watch something that Eric and I stumbled on. Eric thinks it's stupid, but I think you'd like it, Ali. Star Wars?"_

 _Alison tried not to blush at the thought. Most people didn't know it or didn't want to know it, but Alison loved science fiction and fantasy movies. It was one of those things that she knew would destroy her reputation if she let anyone know. There was the first rule that her mother imposed on her. Don't let anyone know you for real. That was a rule Alison had allowed Noel, Eric, Cece, Shana, Shana's sister, Alexandra and Duncan to cross. There were times Alison was sure that she'd let Spencer see who she was too, but couldn't bear the thought. A part of her wasn't sure what it was. Maybe she was too afraid of Spencer seeing her as weak, maybe she didn't want to get more attached to Spencer than she already was, but that was a huge risk._

 _She nodded simply to Cece. "Sure. Pop the first DVD in. Let the geek fest begin."_

 _After Cece chuckled, guzzling down the rest of her wine, she put in the first Star Wars DVD; "A New Hope," since as Alison pointed out, they heard the three prequels sucked horribly, except debatably "Revenge of the Sith," and they sat down with chips in front of them._

 _Almost half an hour past as they saw part of the movie._

 _Just as Alison reached for a barbecue chip, watching C3PO and R2D2 meet with Luke Skywalker, sharp pain spiked into the soft insides of her elbows. She hissed, crossing her arms and bringing both her hands to the inside of her elbows protectively, rubbing her fingers against the soft flesh that was singing with brief, but agonizing intensity. She winced, glaring down at her arms. Instantly, Noel and Cece scooted closer, looking at her arms._

" _Are you alright, Ali?" Cece asked, concerned, as Luke led the droids off to his home, Alison stared at her arms, stunned. She knew people sometimes had random and unexplainable aches and pains for no reason, but that was a little severe. "Yeah." She said quietly, "It was weird. For a second, it felt like I had needles in my arms or something. Shit." Noel looked like he was about to make a joke, but Cece pushed past him and inspected Alison's arms. Alison removed her hands from the soft patches of skin, letting her sister see._

 _There was no mark to speak of on either arm._

 _They both looked as untouched as they always did, unless her mother had decided to be particularly vicious and grab her daughter's arms hard. But there was no bruise or cut or anything. "Both your arms look fine, sweetie." Cece said, looking up at her sister's eyes curiously._

 _Alison shrugged, eyes narrowed though, "It's probably nothing. Lets just get back to the movie."_

 _Casting a worried glance at Alison, both Cece and Noel eventually complied and looked back at the screen. Thankfully, there wasn't another strange incident after that the whole night._

 **Present day:**

Alison shivered as she thought about it. And that hadn't been the first time she had felt needles in her arms for no apparent reason. She had felt them before, but so as not to worry either of her siblings, she had lied that it had been the first time. But now, it made complete sense, didn't it? Courtney had been at Radley. Logically, she had to have been sedated a few times, right? And it wasn't just that. There were times when Alison would wake up in the middle of the night and look around the room, seeing instead of her pink wallpaper with birds trying to flee their cages-a most fitting wallpaper for her room-there was a cold, steel silver wall, a cot up against it and a bookshelf next to the cot. On the shelves were several toys and a teddy bear. Next to that was a family portrait. Alison had remembered that in the dark of the room, she hadn't seen the faces in the portrait, but there were two adults and three children and a teenager standing in the photo.

Alison shook herself from the memory. When she had flashes like those, that at the time made no sense, she had dismissed them as nightmares or even hallucinations that she would never utter a word about. But now it made sense. Too much sense.

Alison's lower jaw tightened. She should be furious with Courtney. She knew that. If –A was indeed Courtney, then she should hate her twin for what the other girl had done to Spencer and the others. This was the psychopath that had used Emily to dig up that poor girl's grave, the same psychopath that had ordered Aria be drugged and put in a crate on a train. The same psychopath that hid a body under a tray of ice with drinks under it, and sent pieces of the remains to the girls. The same psychopath that almost killed Emily in the greenhouse. Alison's stomach turned, knowing that someone that closely related to her had been hurting Spencer for almost a year now.

Courtney very well could have been the psychopath that hit Alison in the back of her head with a rock that night.

Her mind then flashed to her mother and all the manipulations that she had inflicted on her daughter. And the fact that her mother had been willing to bury one of her own children alive. Alison swallowed hard, thinking about the manipulations that had driven her into being the bully that she was at Rosewood High-and really towards everyone, even her closest friends.

The repulsion that had plagued Alison for those torturous minutes was weakened as she thought of her sister at Radley.

Alison thought about all that Courtney must have gone through at Radley. No matter what Courtney's deal was-being a psychotic or whatever happened, being locked up like that, for who knew just how long, no wonder Courtney was as messed up as she was. Alison knew that she shouldn't be playing the devil's advocate here, but she knew first hand what her and Courtney's mother's manipulations were like. She knew how Jessica and Kenneth both had turned the other way when Jason got abusive, how she turned the other way when Jason's scum friends had come over and had made lewd comments about their daughter, and had even _seen_ some of the videos that Jason and his friends were making.

Her and Courtney's parents and brother were amongst the worst. It was no wonder she, or Courtney ended up the way they did. Alison felt a sad smile form on her face, not noticing how Kira had stopped eating, paying attention now to the grimace her sister had.

Of course, how could she judge Courtney-if her twin did indeed exist? Courtney had been used and abused just like she had been. Who knew just what their manipulative, abusive mother, their neglectful father and abusive brother had put her through?

Alison's mind was flooded with thoughts of Spencer and of her twin. She knew that one day, maybe, just maybe she'd have to choose between them. That thought made a cold chill stab her gut. Just knowing that she might have a twin sister out there made her feel protective.

She would have to choose one day, she was sure of it, but right now all she could do, knowing there was someone out there that had likely been as badly abused as she had by the same people, the only thoughts she could think to herself now were, _(I'll rescue you, Courtney. I don't know who's hiding you. If it's Jessica and Kenneth or if it's Wren or someone else, but I'll rescue you. I'll help you. I'll be your family, sis. Just as long as you stop hurting Spencer and the others. I'll be there for you)_

Alison wasn't sure, but she could almost hear a childish giggle in the back of her mind, chiming through her brain like a manic bell that had been cracked too many times. Alison swallowed as she was certain her twin was with her now, though only mentally. She shouldn't be so happy about Courtney's existence, but she couldn't help it.

 **I know I said that it would mainly be about Cece's point of view, but since this story has expanded way more than I thought it would, we're delving into other characters. We'll see Cece next chapter though, promise.**

 **Okay, I know I keep harping on the Jason thing, but here's the problem; it happened. And the bigger problem, is that people just forget about it, all because Jason's a hot guy. But should Alison ever be forgiven for what she did as a very young teenager? Fuck no, right? Yes, you'll excuse Jason DiLaurentis for sleeping with underage girls, being part of a creepy club that films even younger girls, girls that probably couldn't be any more than twelve to fifteen, you can excuse Jason for getting drugged up and not trying to help his sister when his friends came over and tried to take advantage of her, and you can excuse that he pretty much abused her too, as we saw with the field hockey stick incident; why? Because Jason is fucking hot, right?**

 **But heaven forbid anyone and I mean** _ **anyone**_ **forgive Alison for simply verbally harassing people, blackmailing and lying and trying to change after years. Heaven forbid that after all this time Alison actually get some forgiveness when she only acted that way to survive the hell that was her life at home.**

 **Let me ask the fans that are reading this that have somehow forgiven Jason but haven't forgiven Alison. Would you be so disgusted with Alison, if she were a guy?**

 **Just remember, if you're able to love Jason so much, even after being a creep, pedophile, pervert that records young girls undressing, and abusive monster that stood back and did nothing while rapists tried to hurt his sister, and yet are disgusted with Alison when I'm pretty sure that lies are pretty meager in comparison,** _ **and**_ **if you realize you'd be able to forgive Alison if she** _ **were**_ **a guy, then congratulations, you're a misogynist.**

 **That's not up for debate. If you still despise Alison for everything, yet would indeed forgive Alison if she were a boy instead of a girl, you are a misogynist. In other words, you hate women.**

 **If you realize that, it might be time to rethink your life. Just a thought.**

 **Yeah, sorry about that little rant, but I haaateee Jason. I freaking hate him. He acts so superior, but is he really forgetting how abusive he was to Ali, which made her the way she was in the first place? Alison was a victim of his abuse, funny how the fandom tends to "forget" that and whine and moan over Jason's "Man pain."**


	21. A Waiting Storm

**Trigger warnings for sexual abuse, child abuse, perversion, violence, mental illness, and so on.**

 **Disclaimer: I'm going to put this extra disclaimer in here, as I'm going to involve some characters from another series in this fic. This is a series on Netflix that I** _ **of course**_ **do not own, but am not going to tell you the name of yet because I want you to figure it out yourself:**

 **Chapter 21: A Waiting Storm**

Cece hung the deep scarlet dress spotted with a black and dark green lily design over the rack in front of her and smiled at how it looked right up against the glass casing that held three silver bracelets in it. Having seen Sam and Noel just last night and introducing the dark-skinned girl to the owners of The Brew and had gotten Sam the job that the girl needed. Cece had kept an eye on creeper Zach and told Sam about him. She watched with delight when Sam's eyes narrowed and she saw a hint of bloodlust. One would normally never associate Sam with bloodlust, but given the pervert's history with Alison, she couldn't blame the younger girl.

They both were going to keep a close eye on him. She checked the time on her phone. It was almost closing time. She looked out the window, scanning the pitch-black night out. She knew Alison and Kira had come to Rosewood and had visited the hospital to check on Emily. She'd think about Jason, but checking on that loser was laughable. She smirked at the thought. What exactly had she been thinking when she had dated him again?

She glanced at her phone again. She was going to go meet with Alison and Kira. Knowing Alison, she knew just what warehouse the younger was going to. The said warehouse was just far enough away from the hospital, but close enough to the forest. It was the first warehouse in the town that came to mind, given where Alison and Kira likely had just been.

Slipping her phone into her purse, she said goodbye to her boss and marched out of the store. Cece didn't care that it was nearly 12:00. It was likely Alison had been up all night planning. She needed to see her girl.

Cece made the decision quickly, getting into her car, knowing there was a bag in the trunk with a hoodie, mask, pants, black leather gloves and boots. It was shady as hell and if she hadn't been careful, she might have been arrested, but it was what was necessary. She drove towards the warehouse.

Good thing she had extra phones too. Every single phone that the "Redcoat Team" had, including all three of her own had the standard safety proceedings for their group when trying to make sure that –A didn't hack or track them or spy on them.

Duct tape over all the cameras of the phones, and the tracking chip in their phones had been manually removed via tweezers. Was it paranoid? Of course it was. But when people like the A-Team existed and were out to ruin your life, paranoia was kind of a must.

Cece knew she had to see Alison. She'd park the car near the mall, knowing full well that there were no cameras on the sides of the mall. She had put all her stuff in a hotel nearby for her stay at Rosewood, but she couldn't care less. Grungy warehouse or no, she hadn't seen Alison in too long.

Driving up to the mall, Cece parked next to a secluded area, hiding her phone and walked around and opened the trunk, pulling out the "A" outfit. It often probably looked disturbing to anyone else that might see them, dressed in –A getup, but it was the only way that the A-Team might not end up being suspicious of them.

Bringing her new clothing to the back of a dumpster, glancing over at the wall, seeing no cameras, she kicked her heels off, pulled on her pants, over the end of her dress and put the black hoodie over the rest of her dress, head slipping through the hole, hood cupping her gold mane. She shoved on her boots, gloves and pallid mask of a snake's face, and wrapped her purse up in a plastic white bag. It might be bizarre looking, but without any defining clothing, shoes or bags, no one would know it was Cece Drake under the clothing, unless they saw. Cece picked up the heels and put them in the plastic bag and took off through the forest, past the dumpster. No way she was going to risk her high heels being stolen. These were a pair of expensive first class pumps, thank you very much.

Besides, Cece had learned to conserve her money since living on her own and making sure Ali had her own money to take care of herself. Cece strode through the forest, fast.

After ten minutes, she found the warehouse and knocked.

Inside the warehouse, putting the bowls and pots in the sink, both Kira and Alison whirled around, alarmed when they heard the abrupt knock, eyes narrowed. They looked at each other and inched forward. Getting close to the door, Alison heard a familiar voice leaking in, "Girls, it's me. Please let me in." Alison grinned despite herself. She walked over and practically yanked the door open, letting Cece in.

As soon as Cece walked in, blue eyes landing on Alison, who looked cautious a moment, due to the mask and hoodie before her grin widened. Cece smiled behind the mask and pulled it off, closing the door behind her. "Cece." Alison whispered, lunging forward as Cece dropped the bag to the floor and wrapped Alison up in her arms. Cece leaned over and put the mask on the counter next to the door, cupping Alison's face in her hands as she stepped back, overjoyed. She lunged in again and kissed Alison's forehead again and again and again.

"Ali," Cece whispered, stepping away again, "I'm so glad to see you. How is my baby sister?" Alison chuckled, "Well, considering we're about to spend our night in this _lovely_ warehouse, the same as usual." Cece snorted. Well, Alison had that right. Alison stepped back, allowing Kira to pop up next to her, waving to Cece. "Yo," Kira said, smirking, "How you doing, blondie?"

Cece tried to refrain from rolling her eyes. As Kira had explained, Kira only gave the actual names to people she knew once she actually considered them friends. But honestly? Pretty much everyone in their group knew Kira considered them all friends and family. Kira just liked being a pain in the ass.

Not that Cece could blame Kira. Being a pain in the ass was fun. She, Alison, Noel and dozens of others in their family weren't ones to judge about being pains.

Cece sided up between the teenagers, patting them both on the backs. The three eventually walked to the table. Alison faced Cece. "Would you like me to make you something? I'm afraid there's not much in the way of a lot of food, but we can scrounge something up. There's food in the crates in the next room."

Cece nodded. "Sure. Sounds good. Lead the way." Alison smiled and walked past the table, scooping up her and Courtney's birth certificate along the way. Cece eyed the certificate in Ali's arms and the almost bare apple cores on the table. She turned to Kira as Alison entered the next room. "Has she been eating?"

Kira snorted. "If by eating, you mean nibbling some apples and scraps, that is when she's not consumed with what the A-fuckers are doing?" Cece's jaw clenched. She had been afraid of that. If anyone else had been targeted by –A in Rosewood, Alison wouldn't be this distressed. Not that Alison wouldn't have come back to stop –A if just a couple of random people-Alison was too honorable not to by this point, but she wouldn't be this distressed. But it hadn't just been _anyone_ that –A had targeted. It had been Aria, Hanna, Emily and Spencer.

Cece watched Alison put some knew soup, the soup that Cece had wanted; some beef stew in a new pot and started turning on the flame, and Cece watched her younger sister with concern. Alison wasn't taking care of herself, according to Kira. That really shouldn't surprise her. Ali was being eaten up by something. Was it the possibility of Courtney; Alison's twin, someone who may exist that was so like Alison herself terrorizing the girls? Or was it concern for everyone else? For pulling Kira and Sam into this as well as everything else they had to deal with?

Alison brought over a few different soup cans in her arms, putting them down on the counter next to the stove. "Okay then." She grinned, "There's soup, soup and oh look, more soup. There's also eggs if you want any." She looked up at Cece who was staring at her sister sadly. She narrowed her eyes. "Cece?" She asked. Cece smiled, shaking her head. "It's fine, sis. So, how about this?" She wrapped her hand around the split pea and ham soup," She leveled a look at the younger, "I'll have half, if you promise me you have the other half."

Alison locked eyes with Cece. It took her a moment to absorb what she was seeing in Cece's beautiful orbs, but she understood at last, sighing. Cece just wanted to make sure that she was eating. "I'm taking care of myself, you know." She said, not sure how she thought her words were being convincing. Cece smirked. "Spare me. Get two bowls. I don't want to hear any excuses right now. Okay?" Alison nodded, taking the can from Cece and opening it up, setting up a pot on the stove, flame turned on.

As the soup was dumped in and heated, Cece and Kira, still seated at the table, glanced over at Alison. Cece turned to Kira, whispering, "Did she get a text or call from Mercedes? What about Miyako?" Kira shook her head. "I don't remember anything recent." She glanced at Alison, then back at Cece. "Why is she risking so much for those girls? I get that she loves them, and they're family, okay? I get that." How could Kira not, after all, _she_ herself was a chosen family member. She was Alison and Cece's family the same way the blondes' were each other's family. Through sheer, simple choice. She understood that these four girls were Alison's family.

Still, Kira felt the words spill out, "I just…she doesn't belong here. This town isn't good for her. I'm not just talking about –A. These people are hypocrites." Kira looked around, as if making sure she wasn't being listened in on and leaned in closer to Cece, "At least out there, in the outside world, she has a family. There are people like us that care about her. She has parents, Cece. We have parents. People that have taken us in. She could forget this town, move on." Cece leaned back, smiling sadly. How true at least part of what Kira said was. It wasn't true, however, that Alison could just leave this town. She couldn't leave Spencer.

She wasn't going to tell Kira that without Alison's permission though. Alison trusted her, and so she was going to prove that Alison wasn't wrong in her trust.

Alison turned back to them, leaving the soup to heat up. "So," She began, sitting down next to Kira, facing Cece, "News. What's happened besides Jason getting his neck busted." Before Alison could stop herself, a dark smirk worked its way on her face. Kira shared her sister's smirk. Cece sighed, smiling slightly. She hadn't wanted Jason to die in that elevator shaft. But she couldn't say that she was too broken up about what happened to him either. She had wasted almost two years on dating him. And during that time, she had only seen things that disgusted her. Jason hadn't wanted to involve her in the N.A.T Club's video taping, but he had been more than happy to record his friends' girlfriends undressing, and more than happy recording his sister and her friends undressing.

Underage girls. Two of them he was related to. And Jason never did anything when his friends tried to get under Alison's skirt.

Jason made Cece sick. But she hadn't wished him dead.

She just didn't care. And she doubted that Alison cared either. However, Jason hadn't been the only one in that elevator. Emily had been there too. Thankfully Emily hadn't been harmed in anyway. She was probably traumatized, but not harmed.

Cece shrugged, thinking about last night's events. "Spencer," Cece watched the younger blonde stiffen at the brainiac's name, "She got into a tiff with the other girls. But when Jason and Emily called or something, she came into the hospital, apologizing." Alison nodded, turning to her sisters. "Yeah," The blonde said, blue eyes intense, "Kira and I saw her come in." After a moment, Alison's stiff body loosened and she sighed, looking back at the now boiling pot, "There's not much more we can do here. Lets just wait out till the morning and resume a plan then, okay?"

She looked back at the other two and they both nodded. When Alison turned off the flame and filled the bowls up with soup, Cece all too happily took the spoons, shoving one into Alison's hand and watching her younger sister like a hawk till Alison finally folded and started eating her soup before Cece started eating her own.

The night had carried on and after a few minutes of playing cards and passing amused comments between them, Kira, Cece and Alison bolted the door of the warehouse securely closed, and went to sleep, charging their camera-duct taped phones against the wall, and the three of them curled up on some blankets next to each other. Alison shoved the thin backpack with Spencer's Radley document in it under the blanket, lying on top of it. She took one last look at the USB drive in her pocket before lying down. Cece laid down next to her, a protective arm over her sister as they rested. All three of them had their backs pressed against each other's stomachs. Kira's back to Alison's stomach, Alison's back to Cece's stomach.

The next morning, a slice of harsh sunlight cutting in through the muck bathed windows, hitting Alison's lidded eyes woke her up as she winced. Groggily, she got up, and checked all five charging phones, the cameras of all five phones covered with duct tape. The phones were all fully charged now and the time said that it was 9 o'clock in the morning. She smiled and put the throwaway phone and her main phone into her pocket, and the emergency phone, which was almost never used, unless it was to call certain people in her other pocket. The other two phones; Cece's and Kira's would stay there till her sisters retrieved them. She yawned, rolling her eyes, nudging Kira awake gently as she pulled out the backpack with Spencer's Radley file in it out from under the blanket and secured it back over her shoulders.

Kira groaned and sat up, wincing at the angle her body in as she picked up her silver earrings from where she had placed them next to her. "Dammit," She hissed, a strained arm bringing up one earring to her ear, "Why does my body freak out when I sleep on my stomach? How'd I even _get_ on my stomach, anyway?! Wasn't I on my side?" Cece, thanks to all the racket, and because she was just a light sleeper, lifted her head up sharply, looking around. Unable to stop the chuckle that left her mouth at the sight, Alison tried to say in an unsuccessful dry voice, checking her backpack quickly, making sure both documents were inside, then checking for the USB drive, which she did have, "We roll around in our sleep a lot. And it's just your body's way of telling you that you shouldn't be sleeping in this angle."

Kira snorted, "Why are human bodies so fragile? It's unbelievable. Makes me wish I was like Rose, Jackie, Sabrina and Deena." Alison smirked, throwing her closed backpack over her shoulders. The less they talked about supernatural beings, the better. "We should get up and get food. After you guys go to your jobs, I want to check on the girls before anything else." "Of course. Will do, sweetie." Cece purred out, stretching her body, usually gorgeously kept blonde hair a little wild and out of place as she tried to smooth it down. Kira nodded and Alison checked the locks on the warehouse door. It looked like nothing had been disturbed. And it didn't seem like the window had been messed with. She, Cece and Kira unplugged all of their phones, all the devices with their cameras covered in duct tape, and stuffed their phones and their chargers into their pockets. They put the blanket away and went to one of their bags of extra clothes. They spent the next half hour going into the other rooms, changing into different clothes. Afterwards, when Cece was putting on lipstick, earning some snickers from the smirking Kira, they went to the fridge, all fully clothed. Alison pulled out a carton of eggs, checking the date, smiled and walked into the kitchen part of the warehouse where the sink was lodged next to the stove.

Kira watched and asked, a smirk touching her lips as she thought of all of –A's ridiculous antics, "So what are the chances that –A put something in those eggs?" Cece snorted, as she stood next to the other girl, looking at Alison pull out a frying pan from one of the shelves, "Zero. –A's a super villain, but as far as we know they don't have superpowers. Unless there's something we missed, there would be no way that –A could inject something into eggs without us noticing. And –A would have to count on a lot for us to find _the right_ egg carton that they wanted us to have. So zero." Alison laughed at Cece's quite accurate and all too snarky comment and opened the carton, and despite her sister's words, she inspected each egg, looking at all the shells carefully, before pulling out one after the other, washing them in the sink and then cracking them against the rim of the pan, spilling the eggs out into the pan's basin.

The pan sizzled with the contact of the eggs. Alison tossed the split egg shells into the trash bin behind her and turned back to the pan, angling the spatula under the eggs. "How'd you know I wanted eggs?" Kira teased. Alison rolled her eyes. "I didn't. These are mine. A word of advice, you want to cook to have the energy to feed you in the morning, let her eat first. But do you even _want_ eggs, Kira?" Kira chuckled, "Sure. Eggs are good. I'm up for it." Alison nodded and moved the eggs around with the spatula a little more as Kira pulled out some plates and grabbed some forks. Cece snorted as she rounded the table and stood next to Alison. "I bet those eggs aren't the only ones she wants." Alison gave Cece an incredulous look and gently elbowed the older blonde. "Shush!" She whispered. Cece smirked. "What? I said it too quietly for Kira to hear."

Alison tried not to snort. Kira, though very blunt and usually without shame, was occasionally self-conscious about her feelings towards Margo. For Kira's sake and for Margo's self-consciousness, she kept her mouth shut about that. She didn't want to spread peoples' secrets around just because she could and just because it gave her power. She wasn't going to do that again, not unless she absolutely had to. Her mind went back to Wren and his Radley document. She didn't want to, but she might have to use that document against him, soon.

Alison bit down on her thoughts and continued.

After Alison had made both their breakfasts, both her plate and Kira's covered with three big cooked egg yolks. As Alison began eating, she started talking after swallowing, "I need to go check on the girls. Kira, afterwards, I want you to meet with Shana at the costume store, okay? And be real careful."

Kira hesitated before nodding. "Okay." She didn't like the idea of leaving Alison's side for too long, but knew that Alison needed to know that those girls were protected. She looked at Cece carefully. "You'll be there with her, right?" Before Cece could answer with anything, Alison almost jumped when a loud, unexpected ringing exuded from her left pocket. Alison's eyes narrowed in confusion for at least three seconds before pulling the phone out. Kira and Cece lifted their heads, surprised. That was the emergency phone. Kira met Cece's worried gaze, suspecting she looked just as worried. Kira had never seen Alison use it, except when to call…

Oh.

Kira frowned, a little worried, already having a good idea of who was on the other end. Alison sighed when she saw the number, pulling out her other phones, putting them down on the table and mouthing to Kira, "I'll be right back." Kira nodded as Alison got up from the chair and walked into the next room. Cece was smirking. Kira wasn't surprised by either of these things. Just because the cameras on the phones were covered, didn't mean that they still couldn't be hacked and people couldn't be listening in. That particular phone that Alison was on now, was being called by someone that Alison sure as hell didn't want anyone knowing about.

In the next room, Alison finally answered the phone and put it to her ear, a slight smile on her face, heart warmed. "Hi, Adriana-"

"Don't you, 'Hi, Adriana' me, Dana! Ali! Whatever your name is, I don't care! Don't you act so calm! I've been worried sick about you!" Alison exhaled, sagging, huge waves of guilt coming at her. Of course, one of the closest people she had to a real, loving mother was worried about her. She hadn't contacted Adriana since she came back from Noel's cabin with Cece. She had a feeling that unless she told Adriana to tell the others everything was alright, she'd be hearing from Mercedes, Rose, Nomi, Neets, the Bakers and Miyako soon too. Probably from Lito, Dani and Hernando too, demanding to know where the hell she was.

"No," She started quietly, "Adriana, really. I'm okay. I've been eating." _Barely, but you don't need to know that._ "And I'm safe at the moment. All three Kira, Cece and I are." There was a pause and Alison knew she might have made a mistake by mentioning Kira. "Kira?" There was a sigh on the other end, "Ali, sweetie, I know you care about her, but she used to be-" "Adriana," Alison said, voice becoming firm, "I won't discuss this. We all have bad histories. Same with me. I'm not going to judge or leave her. As far as I'm concerned, she's just as much family to me as you are." Another sigh and Alison could almost imagine Adriana burying her face into her palm in defeat. "Alright, darling. At least Cece is with you. Say what you will about her, at least she protects you. I don't like it, but I understand. Just…..I don't like you being back in Rosewood, sweetie. I don't like it at all."

Alison bit her lower lip and the question bubbled to the surface of her mind, never to be spoken, _Are you worried about me being here because Jessica and Kenneth are back in Rosewood too?_

But there was no way she'd say that. She knew how insecure Adriana got sometimes when it came to Alison and her biological family. Though Alison had met the woman two and a half years ago and had found an odd connection between each other ever since, there was still uncertainty sometimes in Adriana's eyes whenever Alison brought up her biological parents. Then again, it wasn't like Adriana was the only one. She had seen how Rose looked occasionally whenever she heard from Alison or one of the others about Jessica, Kenneth or Jason.

At least Miyako was confident and waved away any doubts that the teenager might have had. To Miyako, she had claimed Alison. Taught Alison everything. To Miyako, Alison was her daughter, not the daughter of two ignorant privileged hypocrites who were happy to adopt a sociopathic society and its worldview. To Miyako, she had taught Alison honor. A code. All, but legally adopted the blonde. In Miyako's eyes, Kenneth and Jessica weren't competition. Never were.

"I'm fine." She answered. "Are you alright? How is everyone else there?"

"We're alright." Another sigh, "Sofia has been wondering where you and Sam are. Thankfully she doesn't know just how dangerous it is in Rosewood." Alison winced. Sofia, the closest besides Jack, Patrick, and most recently, Jasbir, Wolfgang and Kala's daughter, that she had to a little sibling. And Victoria and Julia? Well, those two were much more complicated, weren't they? She wondered if Sofia, the small, sweet seven-year old had even an inkling of what her big sisters did sometimes. She and Sam had been living off and on with the kind, loving woman and her sweet, innocent daughter for a long time now. Or what felt like a long time. The fact that such a gentle woman considered two street children part of her family never ceased to amaze Alison.

"I bet she doesn't," Alison said quietly, "I just need to check on people quickly, and you'll see me soon enough. I promise, if Sam and I haven't come back to you by the end of three weeks from now,…you can call in the cavalry."

As soon as Alison said those words, she knew she had just started cracking open the lid of an inferno. She was friends and family with dangerous people. She knew that. And what was more, Adriana knew that too. Adriana, if anything, wasn't upset, but clung onto that fact as a way of protecting her two unofficially adopted daughters as well as her biological one. It was hard to believe, but there were people out there who Alison was close with that were even more dangerous than Kira. Or than Alison herself. At least, physically speaking. And this town sure as hell wasn't ready to meet Miyako, Sun or Wolfgang. Then again, who would understand her connection to Courtney better than Sun, Wolfgang and the others, considering what they were? "Are you sure about that?" Adriana asked, voice cautious, and Alison knew that though Adriana would do just what Alison suggested in less than a heartbeat if one of her children was threatened, the woman clearly knew that what Alison had said was no small matter. She knew that if this happened by the end of three weeks, a version of hell would break loose all over Rosewood.

The only matter at hand, besides the obvious moral one, would be to make sure that Spencer, the other girls and their families and loved ones were safe.

Once this particular hell broke loose in Rosewood, there would be explosions, fire, bloodshed. It would be very hard to contain.

Alison found the words coming out slowly, "I'm not sure of anything anymore. Just, we have to make sure that _they're_ safe." Alison didn't need to elaborate. She knew Adriana knew who she was talking about. "Agreed." Adriana confirmed. "I know. I'll tell them, if anything happens that they're to be careful." Adriana's voice became incredibly dry with her next words, "I'm just grateful that Noel called me when he was in Ravenswood. He knew how scared I was. He told me you were okay. And why didn't you tell me that you, Shana and Margo had gone on a suicide mission to rescue Emily's girlfriend?"

Alison almost fell over. Oh, crap. She was gonna _kill_ Noel. Noel and his big mouth. She groaned, "Mom," She knew she'd catch Adriana's attention by calling the woman that, "We had to rescue her. –A took her. You know the cops here are too stupid to stop –A. And all three of us, and Emily's girlfriend are safe. –A got away but we're all safe and sound."

"For now." Adriana said quietly, making Alison unsettled. The blonde nodded. "For now."

Finally, Adriana submitted, "Just make sure that both you and Sam keep in touch with me before three weeks are up. I want to talk to you at least a few times before that. The two of you can't keep disappearing on us. Just stay in contact, when you can. Give my love to Sam. I called her before she went to that coffee shop, but it was a quick chat. I love you both. And the both of you make sure that you eat properly!" Alison smiled, a laugh almost bursting out of her throat at the last thing Adriana said, warmth flooding her entire body. Jessica, her biological mother had never shown her nearly this much concern. Feeling the intense warmth in her chest, she answered, voice strained, "I love you too, mom. We'll take care. Tell Sofia that Sam and I love her. And tell Miyako and the others that we're okay, please?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Please be careful. Bye, sweetie." The last words were said with hesitance and trepidation. Alison felt her stomach churn. She couldn't blame her mom for her nervousness. It couldn't be easy coming to love two teenagers that had waltzed into her life and then having to hear about them risking their lives against a shadowy danger that not even the police knew how to stop (or knew about for that matter).

There was a pause and finally a beep and the call ended. Alison smiled sadly. She knew how hard this was for Adriana, Mercedes, Rose, Selene and Renee Baker, Nomi, Neets, Lito, Hernando, and even the strong willed Miyako. One day, she was going to have to apologize deeply, not just to her friends, but to her true parents. The people that had risked everything to make sure she was safe. She hated that she put them and the girls through this.

She sighed, turning the phone off before putting her phone away, hoping that that would distort the flow of information if anyone tried to listen in. She looked over her shoulder at her backpack. And Courtney. How the fuck was she supposed to explain Courtney, if the lunatic did exist, to really anyone? A part of her feared what Adriana and everyone else would think if they knew that the hooded devil that had been tormenting her friends for almost a year and a half was Alison's twin. Even with people like Wolfgang, Sun, Lito, Nomi and the other four, it was a hard pill to swallow. She gulped and walked back into the room and sat down next to the curious Cece and Kira.

Alison looked at her plate and smirked when she saw that all three of her eggs were still there and looked back at Kira. Kira scowled. "What? You thought I'd steal them? I'm not that pathetic. I have my own!" Alison smirked, looking down at Kira's plate, which was now empty. "Well okay," Kira grumbled as Alison put her other two phones into her pocket, " _had_ my own." Cece smirked. "So, how was the call?" Alison hesitated before mouthing, " _It was fine. It was Adriana._ "

Kira winced and Cece sighed, nodding. They both knew Adriana Castell didn't have a very high opinion of Kira, so they wouldn't ask any further questions. Kira awkwardly eyed Alison's plate. "Those eggs were really good." Alison smiled. "Thanks. Just let me finish up mine. I'll make you more afterwards."

Kira nodded as Alison started digging into her first egg. "Ali?" Cece spoke up, more caution in her voice than she liked, "I just need to ask one thing before I stop asking anything else. Does she know about…you know, Courtney?" Alison stopped eating mid bite. She glanced at the other girl for a moment before sighing. "No. And I don't know how to tell her. I don't know how to tell anyone outside of us right now." Alison lowered her eyes to the middle of the table and Cece lowered her gaze in guilt. "I'm sorry I brought it up."

Alison shook her head. "It's okay. I understand why you'd ask. If this is really my twin doing all this, people should know. I just don't know how to tell them." She cast a glance to the other two occupants at the table. "Will you tell anyone?" Kira locked eyes with Alison firmly. "Not unless you tell me to." Kira promised. Cece said coolly, blue eyes so like Alison's glinting intensely. "Never. Only with your permission. I'm not going to tell anyone else." Alison smiled, eating again, "Thank you." She wanted to believe them. She trusted them. Kira and Cece both had proven themselves to be more than trustworthy over the years. But something this big, couldn't be taken lightly.

Another few minutes past. Alison ate her eggs, made some more for Kira and after all three of them had eaten up, they got their things together.

Alison checked the time. She knew in theory that Cece would need to be at the boutique around this time. The three of them, packed up, suited up with hoodies and now masked, turned off all the lights and locked up the warehouse, before bolting off through the day lit forest again, with one destination in mind.

 **(Page Break)**

Half an hour had past and Cece had hugged both Alison and Kira at another hiding place, donned her usual clothing and had gone off to the boutique. Kira and Alison had been on their way. They stopped by the costume store where Shana was working.

As soon as they got close to the window, they noticed Shana hanging up a Dracula costume. Alison peeked through the holes of her mask up at the ceiling of the store. She didn't see any obvious cameras. Still, she wasn't going to risk anyone seeing her and Kira out here. She pulled out her phone instead, typed Shana's number and texted her.

The text read, _"Shana! Kira's here. Please bring her in and introduce her to the boss. I trust you'll get her the job. If not? We'll figure something else out. But she's coming in, and I can't risk people seeing me."_

Alison sent the text and watched as Shana jerked slightly, likely at the phone's vibration or ring. Shana pulled out her phone and looked at the text. Immediately, the older girl started looking around, went to the front desk, then walked out, from the back door. There Shana stood outside the costume shop, scanning the thick forest, looking for her sisters.

Alison glanced at the walls around them. No cameras. Good. Time to move in. She nodded to Kira and the two of them moved out of the brush to stand before the startled Shana. Shana looked at the two of them cautiously. "Move slowly." She said carefully, watching them, trying to see any indications that the two people in front of her might be members of the A-Team. Alison chuckled, put her phone away and pulled off her mask and pulled off her hood. Kira did the same. Shana's tense posture eased. Her hardened face calmed. Alison rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Shana?" Alison asked, smirking, walking forward and hugging the older girl, "I just texted you. Did you think –A stole my phone?"

Shana shrugged, smiling down at the blonde. "You never know. It wouldn't be the craziest thing –A has done." Alison sighed. Well, Shana had a point about that. Stealing a phone certainly wasn't beyond –A's powers. Kira walked over and gave a side-hug to Shana. "Hey, Shana," Kira grinned, "How's it going?" Shana chuckled. "It's going. Not exactly a fun job, but we're close to anyone that might grab masks." She looked back at Alison. "So I heard about Emily and Jason." Alison winced, shaking her head. "Who hasn't? Emily's fine. I'm sure she's still terrified, but she didn't need any medical attention. Jason on the other hand got a broken neck." Alison smirked and Kira grinned. Shana watched and felt a smile touch her lips. She hadn't been there for the N.A.T club's crimes. Hadn't personally witnessed the predatory men recording undressing underage girls, or sleeping with underage girls, but she had seen the tapes.

Actions of greedy, disgusting boys in men's bodies preying on young women, not giving them a choice on whether or not they wanted to have sex. They had the tapes. Copies of them anyway. All they had to do was release them to the public, and Jason would be locked away for at least fourteen years if he was lucky. Jason was on those tapes. He was on all of them. Shana's stomach still turned sometimes when she thought of him on those tapes. His laughter. Him grabbing a dancing, half-naked young girl and violently turning her before unzipping his pants.

Shana had once never thought that the cheerful little boy she had met in Georgia could have grown up to be a sexual predator. Then again, did anyone really think about things like that?

But Alison was still hesitant to show anyone besides their family those tapes. Jason wasn't the only one on them. Spencer, Aria, Emily and Hanna were too.

Kira started pulling off her hoodie over her head, handing her mask to Alison. Alison took it and then the hoodie into her hands. Alison checked Kira, making sure the other girl's clothes were more or less normal and wouldn't make anyone suspicious. "Okay then," Alison said, grinning, "I'm going to scout around the area, and check on the girls." Her face darkened, "I'm going to check on Jason too. Make sure he's not up to anything wrong." She hesitated a second before adding, knowing that both Kira and Shana wouldn't like to hear this at all, but she couldn't push away the memory of what Jack had said, "And I'm going to stop in Radley." Both girls in front of her stiffened.

Shana stared at her little sister. "Ali, what?! Radley…That's dangerous." Alison nodded, "I know, I know. But it's possible that my sister was locked up there. I want to see if I can find any record of her. If I can then we might be able to prove that she exists and bring it to someone." "Like the Rosewood police?" Shana asked skeptically. Alison snorted. She couldn't blame the older girl. Shana had a point. Even if they found more evidence of Courtney DiLaurentis, besides the still questionable birth certificate, who would they send it to besides the girls? Sure, they could give it to Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily, but then what? Even if the girls believed that Courtney actually existed, what could they do? The Rosewood police were most likely bought up by _someone._ And if they weren't, Jessica and Kenneth would more than likely keep Courtney's existence from ever reaching the ears of anyone outside the town. If they were willing to turn the other way when Jason had his sleazy friends over-even turn the other way when those said friends would record neighborhood girls in their undergarments, she doubted that it would be ever allowed for anyone to find out about a psychotic child in the family.

And she just couldn't get what Jack had said out of her head. _"She's going to be there. From the same place the mastermind once was."_

She sucked in a breath. "I still have to find any information I can. We need proof. Proof of any kind. And I swear, I'll be careful at Radley, okay? I swear it." She could see the tenseness returning to Shana. Kira looked uncomfortable too. Alison didn't say another word, more than sure any further words of uneasiness reassurance would only spark their protectiveness more. "Fine," Shana said at last, "But don't go alone. Bring Noel or Cece with you." When Alison opened her mouth to protest, Shana gave her a warning look, which made the younger girl immediately close her mouth. Shana wasn't going to have a debate over this, was she?

Alison nodded. "Okay. I'll be fine. But okay. Just promise me you won't freak out at the store, okay? I'll be perfectly safe." Shana nodded, still looking worried. Kira was still watching Alison with deep worry, icy blue eyes darkening protectively. The former gang member growled, "I don't like this, Ali. I don't like this at all. Even if you don't go in alone, you'd need to sneak in. I wish you'd let me come with you."

Alison shook her head. "It won't be necessary. Thanks, Kira," She smirked, "But do you really think I'm that helpless?" Kira chuckled. "No. Just the opposite. Just saying. It would be good if you had back up. Like if you had Wolfgang or Sabrina with you or something." Alison shrugged. Well, she couldn't deny that. If both she and Wolfgang or she and Sabrina walked into the institute, no one, even the most mentally disturbed in the building, wouldn't dare come near them. But here was the thing, Alison wasn't sure just how many of her family members she wanted to be in this town. After all, how many of them would it take before explosions started going off? If it was any innocent town, Rosewood of course would be safe.

But Rosewood? A town where it was the norm for young girls below the age of fifteen or sixteen to be looked at constantly, even preyed upon by the higher ups for fun, just because they could an no one in town talked about it? Where a pedophile could more than easily become a cop or lawyer? And a town like that with Alison, Kira, Shana and their family in its vile bowels? Well, they made most vigilantes look innocent in comparison to their methods. The less of them that were in this seedy little town, the better.

"You're probably right." She confirmed, "But I'll be safe enough. If anything, Noel or Cece will be safer with me next to them than the other way around. I'll keep my phones on me. You'll be able to contact me anytime. But keep calm. Not unless you want your boss and customers to get suspicious." After a few moments, both Shana and Kira eventually nodded, neither of them looking that pleased. They both gave her one last tight, all too strong and protective hugs before parting, watching her worriedly as she descended back into the forest, mask back on, holding Kira's mask and hoodie close as she moved.

Cece would be at work, and it would be too suspicious if she just left. She had to find Noel. At least he already had a reputation, since he had been framed by –A as trying to steal grades or whatever happened. So it wouldn't be too weird for him to leave.

Looked like she'd get to bitch at him for telling Adriana about the mission to rescue Maya sooner rather than later.

 **Author's Note**

 **Sorry, I know this ended on an abrupt note, but the next chapter should be coming along. Sorry it took me so long on this one. I know this story is going along slowly.**

 **So did anyone catch the names I put in there? Lito? Hernando? Sun, Nomi, Neets, Kala, Wolfgang? You know where this is going? This is crossing over with another show. Granted, another show on Netflix that has only one season, but it's sort of later on after that.**

 **As mentioned earlier, the three year gap between when Alison went missing and when the body was found happens in this fic, hence the mention of years.**

 **And Awesome1: Thank you! No, you are not the only one that sees Jason DiLaurentis for the hypocrite that he is. Though sadly there are very few people who do. Who exactly thought it was a good idea that a person like him works with "kids" who have alcohol problems?**

 **Oh yeah, and anyone remember what he said in the episode where he and Spencer found that bracelet? "You usually find a person underneath." Who the fuck does Jason think he is? Saying that Alison wasn't a "person?" Coming from a guy that got high every chance he got and didn't help his sister when she was being harassed by his sleazy friends, that's funny.**

 **Oh, and get this, in season 2, episode 20, Jason flat out admitted to Spencer that he was the one that came up with the idea of the NAT club filming girls-underage girls getting undressed. And do you know what Spencer's reaction was? She couldn't quite believe it but before you knew it, they seemed to get along fine with each other. And what is Spencer's reaction in season 3, episode 6 when Spencer finds out Alison was blackmailing Peter Hastings? Spencer's disbelief and disgust couldn't be more clear.**

 **The fact that Alison came over to Spencer's house because she felt it was a safe place to get away from Jason and his sleazy friends, and yet Spencer just glosses over what Jason put her "dead" friend through,** _ **and**_ **still thought Alison later was just a manipulator and nothing else, makes my stomach turn.**

 **Yes, so moral of this show: It's bad that a bunch of creepy older men can record a bunch of girls years younger than them undressing and doing god knows what to those poor girls, but you know what? Men like that get a pass. But if you blackmail someone and are a girl and are a bitch? To hell with you, am I right?**

 **Welp, there's another rant for the day. Sheesh, hope this doesn't become a habit.**


	22. Cell 317

**So for those that have likely figured it out, yes, this is a Sense8 crossover. And I'm going to warn everyone, for those that have either not seen the series at all or have not seen all of the first season, don't read this chapter because of spoilers, and a warning to any Jonas fans.**

 **This a possible future thing for the cluster, and it doesn't end well for some characters in the Sense8 series.**

 **Trigger warnings for violence, child abuse, abuse of mental patients, mental illness and so on.**

 **Chapter 22: Cell 317:**

After Alison had texted Noel, she had doubled back and dropped the clothing off at the base, then waited in the forest by the school. Her –A gear was still on, with the backpack with Spencer's Radley files in it on her back. Sure, if anyone saw her, they might get suspicious, but the important thing was that the A-Team would mistake her for one of their own. Watching beneath the porcelain, eerie mask of a cackling man, black hood over her head, she peered out through the brambles at the passing and moving students. She smirked. Personally, she was kind of happy not to be in high school anymore. Not that Mercedes, Adriana, Miyako, or hell, Nomi and Neets or anyone older than her that she was close with would let her by without a few lessons that they felt she should know now that she wasn't in high school anymore, but even when she had been the "Queen Bee," it had been stressful. Always keeping up appearances. Always acting perfect. Always being defensive so as not to appear weak because being "weak" was exactly the opposite of what her mother and father wanted her to be.

It had been exhausting, always keeping her guard up, giving the constant façade that her mother had taught her about being "perfect."

Noel, Cece, Alexandra, Erica, Shana and Margo had tried to help her to open up for years, but until Alison actually got away from her extremely toxic environment, and ran into people like Adriana, Mercedes, Miyako, Hernando, Lito, Will, Riley, there wouldn't be much of a change for her emotionally. But then she met them. Good people. Honorable people. She had run into her fair share of low lives, scum, rapists, murderers and traffickers out in the real world, just like she had run into her share of sexual predators here in Rosewood, but she had learned that there really were genuinely good people out there. That had been when she had truly started trusting Cece, Noel, Shana and the others.

It was also when she had learned that the world was a lot stranger than she had thought it was. After meeting Wolfgang, Nomi and the rest of their "cluster." Cluster. What an uncouth word to describe a connection so deep and intimate. Alison always thought the word "cluster" was a vulgar way to describe their deep bond of those eight people. And such soulful people too. Alison never stopped feeling grateful for having them and the others in her life. Riley and…an unconscious Will had been the first two of the eight. Alison had been stalking near a harbor off the coast of Maine, stealing food from a café almost three and a half years ago, and she had seen a boat approaching with a women with white hair with blue streaks in it and an unconscious brown-haired man in it. The boat was being piloted by an older man.

Alison, thinking that that unconscious man had needed help, stalked the couple for a while, till the woman, who Alison heard from the older man was named "Riley," had spotted the blonde and figured out quickly from the overstuffed backpack that Alison had had on at the time was a runaway and offered the girl some food. At first, Alison had naturally been as suspicious as hell, but over time she learned to trust Riley a bit more. She learned that the man, named Will Gorski, apparently needed to be unconscious, according to Riley. When Alison had threatened to call the police on Riley, because she mistook Will for an abduction victim, Riley literally begged her not to, saying that they were being hunted by someone that would either kill them or worse.

Alison still wasn't sure what it had been, but something about Riley's plea made Alison believe the white-haired woman. Eventually, coming back and forth between Riley and Will's hideaway, she occasionally saw Riley talk to herself. Alison hadn't understood it at the time, at all. But when two people arrived at the said hideaway, two women, from San Francisco, one named Nomi, another named Amanita, Nomi's beloved girlfriend; that was when Alison started realizing something really weird was going on. She eventually showed herself to the group.

One by one, the other "sensates" started showing up. From Mexico, Lito had come with his boyfriend Hernando and his sort of girlfriend, Dani. From Germany, Wolfgang, someone who Alison immediately found a connection with arrived, along with Sun, a woman who had been released from prison at the time that Wolfgang had gone and picked her up from Korea, Seoul. A few months later, from Africa, Kenya, Capheus, a ball of utter sunshine, excitement and happiness came with his mother, Shiro. Then Kala, a beautiful, loving woman from India arrived with her family.

Much to Alison's shock, they all knew her. They knew her through Riley. Capheus, overjoyed had hugged her, making the blonde shocked and cautious, but instead of seeing any perversion or desire in Capheus's eyes like she had experienced with almost all older men and young men, excluding Noel and Duncan, Capheus's innocent eyes were just filled with happiness and warmth. Lito had grinned down at her and introduced himself, and Hernando and Dani had embraced her too, telling her they knew about her from Lito. It was strange, but Wolfgang immediately started treating her protectively. She had shrugged him off, but now was nothing but grateful for him. Wolfgang, like Noel, Duncan and Cyrus, was like the big brother she had always was hoping for. The big brother that would come slay the dragons that made her life hell even when she complained about his overprotectiveness.

Not like Jason, who had been one of those dragons.

Sun had just bowed politely, though there was a strange emotion in the woman's eyes that Alison couldn't understand at the time. And besides, as Riley, Capheus and Nomi had explained it, Sun didn't speak English. She couldn't have spoken to Alison even if she tried, unless it was through the other members of Sun's cluster.

And that was when Alison's many questions started. Because she had no idea what they meant by "cluster."

Nomi and Riley finally explained the situation, Alison, not quite sure if she had lost her mind or not, had gone with it. As far as she could tell, there was no way this wasn't true. And besides, given her very pregnant state, she was in not situation to try to run by that point. She eventually learned about Riley's tragic birth of her deceased child, Luna. She understood immediately why she and Riley got along so well. Their immediate connection. After Cece, Noel, Shana, Margo, Alexandra, Erica and Duncan finally found Alison-she had been traveling with the Sensates and their companions to New Hampshire, Alison had started giving birth.

And it wasn't like Alison could have gone to a hospital or a clinic. Not with the BPO out there, and not with Alison's missing posters pasted all over the internet.

It hadn't been an easy birth. Not at all. It had been painful. Almost agonizing. But she had been surrounded by family and friends instead of a cold, harsh hospital that would have treated her like someone with a disease. Riley had seated herself behind Alison and held her, stroking her hair and rocking her back and forth, promising it would be okay, though Alison was more than sure that if she could see Riley's eyes she'd notice the terror in those beautiful dark orbs.

Alison wasn't sure what Riley had been more afraid of; Alison dying from the labor or the babies dying and Alison having to live with that. Cece had kneeled down next to her sister, letting Alison squeeze the older girl's hand so hard that Alison sometimes was surprised that she hadn't broken any of the bones in Cece's hand. Kala had aided her "patient" in any way her medical training could help her. Sun, Carla Grunwald, Shana, Amalia, Margo, Neets, Nomi, Dani, Erica and Alexandra had all surrounded Alison, comforting her, holding her, talking to her reassuringly, helping her in any way they could.

Will had still had Whispers in his head. He had to remain unconscious in the next room, attached to IVs and feeding tubes so he wouldn't starve or dehydrate.

After Victoria and Julia had been born, Hernando, Lito, Capheus, Kala's family, Wolfgang, Cyrus, Duncan and Noel who had all been waiting out in the hall of the building on Kala's commands, walked over when Kala came out, all of them looking distraught. Lito and Capheus both looked ready to have a panic attack (they were sensates after all. They had been tied to Nomi, Riley, Kala and Sun. Inevitably, they saw what the four of them saw just in the next room; their daughter and sister giving birth and in pain).

Wolfgang, having experienced the sight too because of his link with the women of their group, looked ready to smash through the wall to get to his sister, his intense eyes looking like shards of dangerous ice. Kala, though her plastic gloved hands had been bloodstained, had gently placed them on Wolfgang's hands to calm him. Despite it all, Wolfgang had calmed down. The men; consisting of the panicked Noel, Hernando, Lito, Duncan, Cyrus and Capheus had filed into the room to see Alison who had been sweat soaked and the two baby girls being held in Cece and Shana's arms, the two women holding the babies up for Alison to see them.

Alison, more than sure she would be a bad parent, and wanting Riley to be a mother again, because she had come to love the white-haired woman by that point, had begged Riley to take Victoria and Julia and raise them as hers. Riley had refused, afraid that their enemy, "Whispers" would target the babies. Riley at first had intended to find a safe haven for all three Alison and her two babies, but Alison refused to leave the sensates. And she knew she couldn't raise the two babies. That had been when Alison had tracked down the Bakers in Baltimore. Thankfully, Whispers was now dead.

Alison always felt her teeth clench when she thought of the older sensates. Jonas. Whispers. Yrsa. Whispers had almost killed her family. He had almost killed Will, Riley and the others. She had felt a thrill of pleasure, watching Nomi shoot the murderous man through his skull. Will was now free of the man. And really convenient that Will didn't have to be sedated anymore.

And Jonas, that traitor. He and Angelica had been giving birth to clusters and forcing those clusters to track down other sensates. Will had hesitated when Alison said that they needed to kill Jonas, but Riley, Wolfgang, Sun and Nomi had been all too willing to kill Jonas, drowning the once mighty sensate.

And Yrsa. Alison swore if she ever met that wretched woman, she'd kill the bitch. Yrsa had made Riley think that she was cursed. She had fled Iceland, thinking that she was cursed and that she had caused the deaths of her husband and child. It was all Yrsa's fault that Riley had believed that. Alison hated that woman and she hadn't even met her before.

She was more than sure if she ever met Yrsa, and knew who the damned sensate was, Alison promised that she'd kill her with her bare hands.

Riley was one of literally the last people in the world who deserved to believe that she was cursed.

Alison smirked. And on an upside, it was thanks to her time with the sensates that she knew multiple languages. Korean, German, some Hindi and Swahili too, though those languages were a little difficult for her. Spanish had always been a bit easy, because Jessica had always impressed upon her daughter to learn Spanish and French, so Hernando and Lito's lessons were easy to follow. She even knew some Japanese too because of her time with Miyako.

Alison finally saw Noel giving high fives to his teammates, and started marching down the white stone steps of the school. She smiled, pulling out her phone and texted him. She sent the text and watched as Noel pulled his phone out, checking it and watched him start to scan the brush next to the school. He turned to his teammates and gave a goofy grin. "You guys go on without me! I'll catch up!"

He looked around and slowly darted into the bushes, coming toward Alison. Alison backed away, going further into the woods, away from people and watched as Noel followed. Noel looked back over his shoulder, making sure no one saw him. "Ali?" He whispered, "Ali, you there?"

Alison eventually ducked down and emerged beneath a tree branch, making Noel almost step back, green eyes landing on the terrifying mask. Alison just pulled the mask off for a second, showing Noel her face. The jock immediately lowered his tense shoulders. "Ali," He chuckled quietly, "You almost gave me a heart attack. I thought –A had lured me out."

Alison snorted, though she couldn't blame him. That wouldn't be at all unbelievable, would it? She shrugged, "Sorry, Noel. But I need you right now. I know you guys don't want me to go to Radley alone. So I want you to come with me." Noel's green eyes went huge. "Radley?" He repeated. "Ali, we don't want you going there at all." Alison huffed, "Noel, I have to go there. I need to find out more about –A. If –A really was at one point in Radley, I need to know as much as I can." Noel, now wide-eyed and almost looking panicked, scanned behind him again, making sure there was no one listening in before turning back to his sister. "Didn't you look before?"

Alison shook her head, pushing her mask up above her mouth so Noel could hear her better, "Yeah, but you know what I found? Nothing. At least, nothing exclusive. If I can't find any paper trail on –A at Radley, I might be able to find one on the computers." Her eyes narrowed at Noel, "Or maybe just by asking questions." Noel's lower jaw parted from his upper one, surprised. "Wait, a sec, Ali, you can't do that. You can't ask questions personally. People will see your face."

Alison smirked, "I wasn't thinking that _I'd_ ask the questions."

It took a moment for Noel to realize what his sister meant, before he sighed, bringing his hand to the back of his neck. "Oh boy." He grumbled. "Are you sure this is good idea?" Alison smirked. "Are you kidding me? It's a terrible idea. But we need answers. And if you can get them by asking, then we might have something."

Noel hesitated before nodding. "Okay. Just let me park my car and I'll shoot right over to Radley with you. Meet me by the back of the school. I'll drive you. And _do not_ be seen!" Alison snorted. "And here I was thinking that I'd take off my mask and hood and waltz right into the school." Noel eyed his sister, shaking his head before circling back around, out of the forest.

Alison smirked, slid the mask fully back on and went to the back of the school, staying low in the forested area. A few minutes later, Noel's convertible pulled up and he flicked the switch in the car that activated the convertible's top as it flipped up and covered the compartment of the car, covering the passenger and driver's seats. Alison had slid out and gotten into Noel's car quickly and the jock drove off in seconds. Alison pulled off her mask and kept her head low as Noel drove.

"Noel," Alison began, carefully, not sure she really wanted to know, "Talk to me. Is Spencer okay?"

Noel tensed before speaking. "I…I don't know. She's been avoiding the other girls a lot lately. She won't let Toby near her of course. She just seems really…."

Noel's voice died off and Alison tensed. "Noel?" She asked, an edge of warning in her voice, staring up at her brother. Noel bit his lower lip, clearly not wanting to say. Finally, he submitted, "She just seems really depressed. Or really stressed. Or both."

Alison stiffened, feeling her heart clench. Spencer was in pain. _She_ had caused that pain. Her and Toby. Her jaw twitched. She was so judgmental of Toby. Maybe she wasn't so different from him. She by no means had meant for Spencer to find out about her being under that mask that night, but Spencer had seen and now….

Alison shot her eyes away. She couldn't deal with this. Spencer needed comfort and there was no way it could come from her. Not when she was the one that had caused that pain in the first place. Right now, Spencer needed Aria, Emily and Hanna. They would look after her. Even as Alison thought that to herself in reassurance, thinking about Spencer being in pain, being depressed, stressed, vulnerable; she tried to swallow down her fear, but she could just feel her skin prick with anxiety and pain, especially the burning branding backpack on her back like a ball and chain, reminding her that Spencer had once been in Radley, making her feel like she was going to sink into a see of utter depression. Spencer had already gone through so much in her life, and now she was in pain and it was hers and Toby's fault.

Desperate for Alison not to be worried, Noel tried to offer a distraction. "So, did you get Kira to Shana?" Alison lifted her head, successfully distracted before smirking, trying to ignore the demons in her head, thinking about Spencer being in pain. "Yeah. It took a while, but she's there. Oh, and Noel? I got a call from Adriana." At seeing Noel stiffen, Alison smirked. "Yeah…apparently someone opened his big mouth about Maya's rescue. And about us having a run-in with –A." Noel slouched. "Come on. She has the right to know. So do all of us. We should know when our family is in danger. You, Margo and Shana had a close run-in. I was worried. Adriana should know. She should know if her daughters are ever in danger." Noel added, glancing at his sister, "And we should tell her and the other grown-ups what we're doing now."

Alison almost laughed. It was so funny hearing the word "grown-ups." It made her and Noel sound like kids. Even if they were unimaginably immature, they were nearly adults. At least legally. Alison was almost eighteen, and Noel was almost nineteen. After Alison had first disappeared in the summer of 2009, Noel had taken time off from school, as the other girls had in their grief. After he had found Alison alive, Noel had spent the next year making sure that his sister was safe. That was why he was in school now. He was redoing the two years he missed. Alison was guessing that that was why Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily were in school now too. To make up for the missing years.

Still, they and Cyrus and Amalia were _younger_ than Duncan, Margo, Alexandra, Erica, Cece, Shana, Deena, Sabrina and the sensates, who were in their late twenties now and Adriana, Gabriel Holbrook, Miyako, the Bakers, Mercedes, Renee and a few others that were in their early thirties and of course younger than Linda Tanner and Carla Grunwald.

"Yeah." Alison breathed out, leaning back against her seat, "I guess you're right." Her family _did_ have the right to know if she was putting herself in danger. When she had almost been stabbed through the abdomen in Boston, Hernando had "flipped his shit." He had been furious that Alison hadn't told him, Lito and Dani where she was going. While Riley and Duncan were patching up Alison's side, Hernando told his daughter that she needed to understand that if anything happened to her that it wasn't just her that suffered. All of her family suffered. That had been the day when Alison truly realized that she had a family. That Lito and Hernando looked at her like she was their daughter. And so did Nomi and Neets to a certain extent. Adriana, the Bakers, Miyako and Mercedes certainly did.

Having received quite the opposite amount of affection in her life from her biological parents and biological brother, Jason, Alison hadn't known how to deal with it, at the time.

Kenneth and Jessica DiLaurentis had been far from affectionate or loving. That day, Alison had run off. Ran far away from her true family for almost a week. It had just been too much for her mind to wrap around. That she had a family. That she had a true, loving family that would protect, kill and die for her. A family that she would risk everything for too.

When she realized that she had to go back to them, that she loved them too much too, she finally returned to the warehouse where she and the others had been staying in New Hampshire, her phone blown up with calls and messages from the sensates, Cece, Noel, Shana and everyone else, her head hanging down, waiting for the yells to fill her ears, even a few smacks across the face, which she was so used to from Jessica and Jason, but they never came.

If anything, she had been hugged, her forehead covered in kisses. Hernando grabbed her shoulders and stared at her, gentle brown eyes blurry with tears. _"Where were you, bebita?"_

Alison had then seen everyone else filter out of the hideaway, including Lito and Dani, both of them looking just as unruly and panicked as Hernando had. She had turned back, shocked to Hernando, a little stunned to hear Hernando refer to her as "baby girl." It had been so strange, so alien not to be seen by men or just adults and people in general as something to be used. As an object or a pawn. She, unable to control her emotions, which was completely new to her, collapsed into Cece's, Riley's, Mercedes's, Hernando's and Adriana's arms, letting everyone in their large group hug her as they all checked to see if she was okay, alternating between kissing her forehead, hugging her and tearfully failing at yelling at her to never run off like that again.

The guilt of when she had run away that time still plagued her mind, just as how she had mistreated Spencer and the other girls. Sometimes she just couldn't believe that she had done something so horrible to the people she loved and loved her in return so utterly much. She knew how lucky she was to have all of them in her life. She knew.

She sighed before finally nodding. "You're right." Noel swiveled his head to Alison, startled, before looking right back at the road. "You're right." Alison repeated, "They should know. We need to check out Radley. But I'll tell them myself afterwards." Noel was silent for almost a minute. "Whoa." He mumbled, but Alison heard the relief. "That's good to hear. What about Courtney?"

Alison almost chuckled. Ah. That. The ever-present question. What about Courtney? That was a really good question. What about her? What did she tell people? How did she even start to explain it? Especially when she didn't even know the whole story of Courtney DiLaurentis herself?

"I don't know." Alison offered, shrugging. "That's why we're going to Radley. To find out more. And I have a plan." She could sense her brother smiling. "Of course you do." Noel chuckled. Alison reached into her pocket, grateful that she decided to keep these two little communication devices she had stolen off of Whispers' corpse after Nomi killed him.

She put the earpiece of her communication device into her right ear, the tiny microphone in front of her mouth and held out the other communication device to Noel. Noel glanced at it before taking it and putting it in his right ear. It was fairly small, so no one would see it. The communication devices, which could be used to record and share information, had been stolen from a number of different places, not just from the deceased Whispers and his company.

They had been incredibly useful in the last past nearly three years.

Alison then picked up the tiny cam and the small screen from her pockets. She put them both online and handed the mini cam to Noel. He took it and Alison held the small screen to herself.

"So," Noel said, ready, putting the mini cam in his pocket, "What's the story. What do I say?" Alison shrugged, "Say that you're doing a report on mental illness awareness. That you're investigating certain mental illnesses reported in patients there, and you would just like to have a meeting with some of the doctors to have an interview about some of the patients. Especially the violent ones." Alison hesitated and smirked ruefully, "Naturally, the first thing they're going to do is try to cover their own asses, so they'll show you the least severe patients. But I need you to whisper information about what you see in there. If there are any empty cells, any incidents that they're afraid to talk about. Oh, and mention my disappearance. And mention my mom being sad." Alison felt a grin play on her lips, "I want you see if that brings any reactions. I doubt that Jessica didn't visit Courtney. I find that hard to believe. Just see for yourself." She added, glancing at Noel, "And be careful, okay?"

Noel nodded, grinning. Don't worry about it. He thought for a moment before adding, "What happens if Wren's there?" Alison opened her mouth to tell the other that Wren wouldn't be at a mental hospital. He was a physical kind of doctor, but held her tongue. This was Wren they were talking about. Who knew exactly where he'd pop up? She sighed, sagging. "I don't know. I don't think he knows your involvement. Just see their reactions and play it cool."

Noel nodded, though Alison could almost feel his concern.

When they finally arrived at the black gates of the foreboding mental institute, Alison slowly wormed her way out of the car, making sure there were no cameras aimed in their direction. Thankfully Noel chose a good spot that was out of the cameras' range of sight. Great.

"I'll listen in," Alison pointed to the communication device in her ear, "And I'll hide. I'll feed you questions to ask, okay? That sound good?" Alison began to slide behind some trees, securing her hood and sliding her mask on, "And just keep your communication piece in your ear. Don't let anyone see it though." Noel nodded, getting out of the car, closing it up and locking the car. He secured the mechanical piece against his ear, and pushed up the collar of his shirt, popping it and making the curve of the shirt cover the device.

Noel moved quickly to the building, looking over his shoulder at Alison who was hidden in the shadows. He secured the cam beneath his jacket, making it stick out slightly, turning it on. In the shadows, Alison turned on her communication device and held her screen connected to Noel's cam, turning it on, listening and watching in the woods. She watched Noel disappear around the corner and looked down at the screen. The screen snapped for a second before the image showing the dark brown ground in front of the gate, and the gates opening, Noel's feet walking through.

Alison knew that this might have been the perfect time to investigate about Spencer. But the backpack on her kept reminding her that she had no right to tell anyone that Spencer had been in this awful place. Yes, a part of Alison wanted to know where Spencer had been kept here. Why Spencer had been here and for how long, but she was not going to risk anyone finding out. Just like she would never let anyone see the file on Spencer from this place, as long as she could help it.

Ignoring all her thoughts on the file kept in the pack on her back, Alison focused on the cam and Noel and smiled behind the mask. Showtime. She was going to do what she had to do.

 **Page Break**

After a very gullible nurse who had blushed deeply after Noel had thoroughly flirted with her, making Alison roll her eyes, completely aggravated by her brother's flirtations, she watched as the woman eventually got a doctor who decided to lead Noel around. The poor blushing nurse had been left behind and if Alison knew her brother, Noel likely had winked at her before walking down the hall with the doctor.

Alison watched the cam, crouching under a bush, watching the image of the narrow, eerie white hallway, the tall doctor with well-kept black hair walking in front of Noel. She heard Noel's voice over the communication device.

 **Page Break**

Noel kept the cam close, aware of the communication device stuck in his ear as he looked at the man walking before him, feeling the questions slide out carefully, hyper aware that if he so much as was the slightest bit suspicious, he might risk exposure to both Radley and to –A, and he wasn't sure just how close the two might be, "So it must be incredibly time consuming here. I imagine you get all types of patients. Are there any violent ones that I should be aware of? I mean, I know I had to hand over pretty much everything that might be used as a weapon."

That had been putting it lightly. His belt, his keys. Well, Noel understood how his keys might be a problem, but his belt? Wouldn't they have to undo it from his waist first? That would take a lot of effort. But he had handed his belt over anyway.

"Ah yes," Dr. Klause said, turning only slightly to the younger man, "I'm afraid there are many quite disturbed patients here. It would be far from safe to let them have just anything that might be used as a weapon. There have been more than a few mentally dangerous patients here, I'm sad to say." Noel nodded, feeling the questions start to bubble. Courtney DiLaurentis. A breakout. Jessica DiLaurentis. He had to find the right Segway to ask this next question.

Thankfully, Alison aided him. He heard her whisper in his ear through the communication device, _"As him where the most dangerous patients are kept. And say it's because you need to know where you should avoid going."_ He felt the next question come to him quickly, hoping Alison would maneuver it, "May I ask where the most dangerous patients are kept? Just so I know which area to stay away from or have an extra staff member or guard with me when I check it out?" Klause nodded, his face neutral, "Ah yes, I suppose that would be good. We keep the most dangerous patients on a separate floor from the others. The third floor. The East wing. Their numbers run from 301 to 340."

Noel nodded, smiling in appreciation, mouth opening, feeling a chill at the next words Alison told him to say, knowing this would be monumentally important, "Has there ever been a breakout from here? By one of those really dangerous patients?"

Noel observed Klause's face carefully, keeping the cam focused on the older man. There. There was the reaction. Klause's face suddenly went pale, if only for a moment, blue eyes going wide. He then shook his head. "Oh no." He chuckled, "I assure you, we keep very special care to make sure they don't escape. Making sure these people don't cause themselves or anyone else harm is of utmost importance to us." Noel nodded, suppressing a sneer of "liar" from leaving his lips.

He heard Alison's chuckle in his ear, _"Liar, liar."_

Noel smirked at his sister's words. She had that one right.

This doctor was hiding something. Oh yes, he was.

Noel just kept a friendly smile up as he followed the doctor, listening closely to Alison's next instructions. _"I want to see Courtney's cell. We need to find a way to get upstairs. Tell him that you're doing this mostly on violent patients and would like to see that wing of the building."_

Noel began the sentence carefully, smoothly, "I hate to inform you of this, since I know that dealing with the mentally ill, and especially the violent patients can be incredibly stressful, but the main part of my research is supposed to be centered around those with violent conditions. I don't suppose I could see this wing at some point?"

Noel watched the doctor stiffen up again and he could almost see the sweat starting to accumulate on the man's brow. A hesitant answer was given, "Ah. Alright. I suppose that can be arranged. But I'll have to arrange it with the guards upstairs so that they can make sure that you'll be safe up there." Noel nodded, still keeping his face neutral at the other man's response. There was clearly _something_ going on here.

The doctor gestured for Noel to stop and turned and walked over to some of the staff members, talking in a voice that Noel couldn't quite make out. As the man spoke, Noel took this time to swivel around the room, allowing the cam to send Alison images of the inside of the institute, hoping maybe that there might be something that Alison would see even if he didn't. After a few minutes, the doctor came back over, looking drained and nervous. "I think it might be best if we took you upstairs first." Klause said carefully, "Just get this part over with so that you won't be too scared when we check out the rest of the institute." Noel almost grinned but kept it at a small smile.

"Thanks, doc." He said gratefully, "I know this is a lot of trouble for everyone, but jotting down notes for my paper on the more disturbed patients in this facility is integral to my paper." He added quickly, hoping to sound humble, "And I don't want to come off as offensive to anyone in this institute. So I'd just like to understand them better."

A chuckle sounded in Noel's ear, _"Smooth brother, smooth."_

Klause seemed to see no signs of Noel's deceit. He nodded and gestured for the guards to follow him and Noel followed the man towards the stairway, past the moaning patients and some of the more harmless ones seated on the ground, playing with blocks and other toys.

They went up the stairs swiftly. As soon as Noel reached the third floor, right behind the guards and Dr. Klause, entering the hallway, the confidence that Noel had felt fuel him starting this expedition fled him almost immediately.

As soon as his foot touched the floor of the hallway, a cold, unsettled feeling dropped like a stone in his stomach. Something about this place didn't feel right. Not just the building, but this hall. Something felt off. Noel felt like he suddenly had thousands of worms covering him, trying to keep him from making the next step. His heart pounded. That cold feeling was starting to seep into his skin too and up his spine. As the guards were turned away from him, Noel brought his right hand up to his mouth, covering it as he spoke softly to Alison, "Ali, there's something wrong with this wing. I feel like there's something creepy in this hallway. It's like a this weird fog surrounding the hall. It's really weird."

Alison listened on the other end, tense. If this was how Noel felt while in the hallway, she could only imagine how people like Mrs. Grunwald, Jack, or Sabrina would react while in that hall. If just an average guy like Noel had that kind of feeling, that hall might creep the hell out of psychics-making them jump out of their skin.

Noel looked ahead, making sure the camera was focused on the hall, passing by a few cells were angry, ragged screams were heard shooting out of the steel doors. Pounding fists were against the doors, desperate to get out of their prisons. At last, Noel narrowed his green eyes, feeling his heart rate pick up even more, gaze falling to an open door in the hall. He felt his muscles tense, afraid that someone might jump out at him, but knew that couldn't be the case. If there actually was any resident in that room, they'd have lunged out by now, if they were as violent as Klause claimed.

Klause then turned away from the open cell, going to the sixth one, gesturing to the number engraved on the metal tab slid into a slot of the door. "This is Maxwell Daniels. He's been diagnosed with severe schizophrenia, and he can't control his moods or temper. He has to be kept here for testing to see if he can be released onto one of the more peaceful floors."

Noel narrowed his eyes. That didn't seem too bad. People with schizophrenia weren't usually dangerous, were they? Alison gave Noel his answer quickly, whispering.

" _He's trying to distract you."_ His sister whispered, _"Trying to show you the least horrible situation so you won't notice what else is on that floor. Start looking around."_

Noel restrained his nod. Ali couldn't see his face so he just turned and looked at the open cell he had seen before. Cell number 317. He glanced over at Dr. Klause who immediately looked panicked. Noel felt a smirk trying to fight its way onto his lips. Looked like Klause didn't want him checking out this cell. He neared it, ignoring the guards' protests and gestured inside. "Dr.," He began, eyes going wide when he saw what looked like…claw marks on the padded material of the walls, "Who…or what was living here?"

Claw marks. Dozens of them. All over the soft white padded walls. Like an animal had gotten loose and started ripping at anything that it could get its sharp claws into. It was like someone had caged a panther in here or something. Noel felt a chill down his back, keeping the camera aimed at the cell, making sure its contents was filmed.

On the other end of the cam, watching the screen, Alison's eyes were wide and her mouth dropped. The cell. Cell 317. There were claw marks all over. The cell was so small. No windows. The cell door was without any opening. Only a slit for a tray of food to be slipped in for the patient kept there. Alison could feel herself getting sick. Had this been Courtney's home? Since childhood? She could feel tears start to form.

No wonder Courtney went insane. Even if she hadn't been insane when she had been locked up, she certainly would be afterwards if she was kept in this little hellhole.

"God…" Alison whispered, "Please tell me this wasn't where she lived."

Noel winced at the tone in Alison's voice. The pain in it. He hated thinking about Alison in pain. Or that someone she loved was or had been in pain. If this –A really was Alison's twin, then her being in pain wasn't an option for Noel.

"That cell?" Klause asked, voice nervous as he rushed over and Noel looked at the man, "That's a very old cell that we still need to renovate." Noel nodded, keeping his expression neutral as he spoke, "But who was in here? It looks like the leftover damage of someone whose condition I'd really like to write about. If they're not here anymore, I don't see why you're afraid to talk about it. I won't even ask their name. What was their condition?" Klause stiffened, looking squirmy as he absorbed Noel's question. Noel noticed one of the staff members eyeing Klause. The man was tall and African-American. He had no hair and light brown skin. The man didn't look very trusting of Klause. Noel tried to contain a snort, wondering how much discourse went on between the staff here. His eyes traveled to the nametag on the man's uniform and his mouth almost dropped.

Eddie Lamb?

The man's name was Eddie Lamb?!

Instantly, Noel swiveled his camera under his jock jacket towards Eddie Lamb, ignoring his sister's protests of _"Noel, what the hell are you doing? Aim the camera back at the-"_

When she stopped talking, Noel assumed she had seen Eddie Lamb's nametag. This was confirmed when he heard her next whisper, _"Oh my god."_

Noel inched closer to the cell, swooping the camera over back to the cell so Alison would see the inside again, this time more closely. Ignoring Klause's protests as Noel glanced inside, he could see, not just claw marks, but a mattress ripped open, its cotton insides strewn all over the floor. The fluorescent lights above had all been shattered and Noel had to wonder how Courtney or whoever had been in this room had managed to get up to the ceiling and smash them.

"Mr. Kahn!" Klause protested, making the jock turn around and face the befuddled doctor, "I must ask you to stop where you're going! You are violating our rules."

" _Which rules?"_ Alison hissed, _"Ask him, Noel. Ask him which rules. I don't think there are any rules about going near this room. He's already given you permission to investigate."_

"Which rules?" Noel asked, this time allowing his haughty tone to fly free, "You've already given me access to the wing and building. Which rules would that be? Please tell me them, or I'll talk to someone about this." He nodded to the room, "Maybe people would like to know that the patient was being abused." Blue eyes became huge. Klause stuttered, "No…no, she-the patient was never abused!" Noel's head perked up at the mention of a "she." So the patient in this room _had_ been a girl. "Just answer me this, doc," Noel said, glancing at Eddie Lamb who was watching him, "When was this patient released?"

"Oh." Klause paled, "About four years ago." Noel narrowed his eyes, "Four years ago? You mean 2009?" Klause seemed even more troubled by that question, but nodded. Noel felt uneasy at that information. 2009. The same year Alison had first disappeared. Had Courtney been there that night? Noel felt his stomach turn. Had Courtney really been the one that hit Alison with that rock that night? He swallowed down his nausea and forced a smile. "Thanks. That's all I was wondering. He glanced to Eddie Lamb and past him as Klause eagerly walked away, urging for the young man behind him to follow. As Noel passed by Eddie, he whispered to him, "Eddie," the man looked at Noel curiously. Noel continued, keeping his voice quiet, "I know something weird happened with your badge. And I know you know more than you're letting on. Please talk to me later."

Eddie stared at the young man and Noel made sure to look imploringly at the older. "We need to talk." He whispered to the man, "Seriously. We need to." He nodded to cell 317. "If there's anything you know about who was in there, please tell me."

 **Author's note:**

 **So the plot is getting thicker.**

 **Spoiler warnings for those that haven't seen season 5 of PLL below.**

 **Awesome1: Sadly that somehow that doesn't surprise me. I've experienced that too. Luckily, I've explained to a friend of mine about Jason and she realizes just how much of a scumbag he is. I'm so happy to hear from someone else that sees him the same way.**

 **It's kind of ironic when you think about it. Jason actually committed a bunch of sexual crimes that he hasn't been thrown into jail for, but he was so willing to throw Alison into jail towards the middle of the fifth season for a crime she didn't commit. The sad thing is, I think the fact that Spencer reacting that way towards Jason and not forgiving Alison is similar to how many girls adore Jason. It's because women in this society are conditioned to empathize with men, no matter what they've done, even if they're sexual predators and treat women with complete double-standards, even if women just defend themselves.**

 **And yes, there's going to be a second season. I don't know when it's coming out though. Grr...**

 **Guest: You'll see. I haven't decided yet if it's a Sensate thing or a twin thing yet.**


	23. Ignorance can be just as deadly

**Warnings for child abuse, sexual predators, possible abuse of mental patients, and violence.**

 **Chapter 23: Ignorance can be just as deadly**

Eddie Lamb. This man was Eddie Lamb.

Alison stared at the dark-skinned man through the TV. This man was the one whose IDs were used to get into Radley to see Mona. Or to allow Mona out. Was Eddie Lamb aware of what his ID was involved in? Was he naïve or was he part of the A-Team too? She said into the communication device, words hurried and focused, "Noel, we have to learn whatever we can about Eddie Lamb, and about what he knows. I don't care how you do it, but we have to get him alone and talk to him."

" _Will do."_ Noel whispered.

She heard him speak to Eddie and braced herself for what was to come. Noel's words came out quickly, _"Was there any problems with the IDs that you guys have?"_ As soon as Noel said the words, Eddie stiffened and looked at Noel in shock. _"How did you know about that?"_ The tall man asked, mouth dropping. Alison could picture Noel smirking when he spoke. _"Believe me. We need to talk. Like I said, it's about the patient that was in here."_

Alison smiled. She knew maybe she shouldn't get so hopeful, as –A had proven that hope was a foolish emotion to have in this game, but if this man had been here while Courtney was being kept at Radley, then he might know something.

But first, they needed to get rid of Klause. "Noel," Alison began, "Klause needs to get out of here. We need information from Eddie, now. Tell Klause that you would like to speak to one of the supervisors. To speak to professionals. And while he's gone, speak in private to Eddie."

She heard Noel relay that message to Klause. She watched the frustration cross that pale face and he turned, gesturing for Noel to follow him. Noel then leaned in to Eddie. _"Lamb, we need to talk. While Klause is talking to his bosses, I need to ask you about Jessica DiLaurentis."_ Alison looked at the TV. Her breath was caught in her throat when she saw how Eddie froze, the shock increasing in his dark eyes. Alison felt a grin nearly split her face. Eddie knew something. He _knew_ something. He had to. Just when she was about to think of some questions to get Noel to ask the man, there was a vibration against her leg.

Alison looked down, stunned. What now? Who the hell was that? That was one of the phones that she rarely used. Adriana had called her on this phone just this morning. "Oh boy." Alison mumbled before she could stop herself. She hadn't even realized she said it till she heard Noel mumbled, _"What-?"_ "Don't ask," Alison said quickly, "Someone's calling me on one of the other phones. I'll have to cut the connection for a few minutes. You're going to have to come up with questions on your own. I need to take this."

She saw the camera shake up and down in a way of Noel saying, _"alright."_ She sighed in aggravation and turned off her communication link and pulled out her phone, checking the number. She almost fell off the log where she had sat down.

Miyako's number. Alison felt her chest tighten but felt the warm affection fill her fast when she saw the number, lifting up her mask. Miyako Yamashita had chosen to call.

Resigning herself, knowing that the line Miyako was calling her on was private, as was the one Adriana had called her on and reassured by that, Alison hit the button and raised the phone to her ear, feeling the affection leak into her voice as she spoke, "Konnichiwa, Miyako-San."

Besides, unless any of the –A Team members could understand Japanese, she could rest assured that no one would know what they were saying. There was a pause and a slight chuckle, "Konnichiwa, watashi sukoshi oni." Alison felt her heart expand, warmth spreading through her body at the words of affection. Anyone who understood Japanese would think it was something Miyako said to hurt the young blonde, but anyone who spent any time around Alison and Miyako would know that it was an endearment. "My little demon."

Miyako saw Alison for what she was. And accepted and loved the girl _for_ it. Not despite it.

As Miyako had laughed once when Alison had tried to hide the blood on her hands after dispatching a man that had cornered a woman, using a butcher's knife the runaway had concealed in a stolen leather jacket, a black hoodie over her head. The woman had run, naturally, terrified of both the man that had tried to rape her and of the armed, masked assailant that sliced the man's leg and arm open,

When Miyako had seen the blood on Alison that the blonde had tried to wash off in Miyako's family garden where the pond was, the woman had laughed speaking in perfect English so that Alison could understand her totally, _"Don't try to hide what you are from me. I'm not interested in superficial good deeds or kindness that society says you are supposed to have. I want to see your darkness. The depths of what you're willing to do to survive and to do what is necessary. You don't need to hide your sins from me. I love you for them, musume."_

Though that last word had been in Japanese, Alison had almost had a heart attack when she heard Miyako say it. She had understood it, though at the time she wasn't sure if she had been right. Musume in Japanese meant "daughter."

The only thing Miyako had asked that day was if the blood belonged to a child or a civilian that Alison just attacked, though the cool, understanding look in Miyako's eyes told Alison that the woman knew already that Alison had spilled blood, not for cruel reasons. When Alison had told Miyako about the woman who had been cornered and about the man that would have raped the said woman had she not jumped in with the knife, Miyako had nodded, seeming to suspect as much and smiled. _"And there you are."_ The almost pleased martial arts expert had said, smiling, _"All your darkness. Willing to do what is necessary for others as well as for yourself. You don't need to hide that at all from me."_

Alison still wasn't sure where the hell a person like Miyako had come from. Her admiration for Miyako had only built up after that.

Alison continued speaking softly in Japanese, "Mama, I'm so glad to hear from you. Are you alright?" "You know I am." Miyako answered, also in Japanese, "My dear, are you harmed in any way?" Alison smiled, "No, you know it will take more than a few thugs to injure me." "Indeed I do," Miyako answered, "So then perhaps you will be so kind as to explain why you and your brother and sisters have not come back home? Amongst you, only Connie and Diana have come back. Jackie, Sabrina and Dawn are on their way here. Why have I heard nothing from you, Noel, Sam or Shana?"

Alison winced. And there was that. "Speaking of which," Miyako continued, voice still soothing, though firm, "Now that I know that you're safe, more or less, where is my oldest daughter? Where is my son? What is happening over in that den of venomous snakes, my daughter?" Alison sighed, trying not to whimper at the loving words being cast at her without any restraint. Loving words that had rarely ever been given to her by her biological parents or brother. Miyako saw this town for what it was, and the woman hadn't even spent one day here. She saw it for the den of lies and snakes it was.

"I'm not sure what's going on." Alison admitted, still speaking Japanese, "We think we've found something on –A. The enemy." Alison knew that Miyako didn't know much about –A. She and Noel had tried to explain as much as they could to the frightening Japanese woman that saw them as her children, and still weren't sure if Miyako understood who or what –A was. The woman knew that –A was the one that put Hanna in the hospital, after Alison explained who Hanna was. Miyako knew about a great deal of other things, but still, wondered how the woman would react to this. A sigh came through the phone.

"I believe we know how information on –A usually ends." Miyako said dryly and Alison tried not to burst out laughing. Even a total stranger to the town of Rosewood knew how games with –A ended. Alison, Noel and Shana had told their mother enough stories. "Usually, yes," Alison admitted, "But this time we really might have something. –A may have been locked up in Radley. In the mental institute that's in the town. We're trying to find information on them with this. And we think –A might be a girl." Alison finished the sentence, voice stuck in her throat. That was as much information as she could bring herself to say to Miyako. Outside of the people that were already here, who could she tell in her family about Courtney? If Courtney was an actual real person, who could she tell? Well, that was stupid. She could tell them all and she knew it. She could tell her precious sensates; especially Riley and Wolfgang. She could tell Hernando, Adriana, Mercedes, Neets, Nomi, the Bakers, Connie, Diana-hell, she could tell all of them and they'd still have her back in faster than a second.

But it wasn't just that. It was knowing that this person was so close to her. Someone that was so like her…someone so like her was the one doing all of this…

Alison sighed. "All I'm saying is we're close. Noel is investigating the place now, asking questions. He's not in any danger. Neither is Shana or Sam. They're both working in Rosewood now to keep a watch on the girls. We're all safe, mother."

"Safe?" Miyako remarked, and it was one of those rare times when Alison could detect a hint of vulnerability in Miyako's usually guarded voice, "Is that what you call being in a town where pedophilia is covered up every day for the sake of the reputation of the rich, my little demon? You know better by now." Alison sighed, smirking. Yes. Yes, she did know better by now. There had been a time when she had just wanted to escape Rosewood. Never come back to the foul place. It was for her sake only. No one else's. Then she had met Riley and Will and the others. And eventually Miyako. Her sensei. Her protector. Her mother.

The woman had taught her so much. Not just martial arts and honor. She had learned plenty of self-defense from Sun previously, but it wasn't just self-defense Miyako had offered to the runaway. Or to the other runaways, Connie, Sabrina, Jackie and Diana when they stole from Miyako's house and got caught. Noel and Shana eventually came into the fold when they saw what affect Miyako had on Alison. At first they had just stayed by to make sure Alison was safe with this strange woman, and see if they could convince Alison to leave with them, but over time, they had come to trust and rely on Miyako as well. And then Dawn and Sam had showed up and eventually ended up in the fold.

"Gomenasai," Alison chuckled, "You're right. I do know. But that's why I have to be here. There are people I love that are in danger. Even if I'm putting myself in danger, I have to help them." "Indeed." Miyako responded, her voice sounding as if the woman had accepted something she deemed inevitable, "You wouldn't be you if you didn't go back to protect your friends. And that foolish Noel wouldn't be who he is if he left you to do it alone. But understand this," Miyako's voice hardened, "if I find out one of you have been harmed in any way in that nest of snakes, I will personally come there myself. And I assure you, my dear little demon, they will not like it."

Alison snorted, now barely able to contain her laugh, "I really don't doubt that one, mother." A chuckle added to Alison's from the other end. "Yes, keep that in mind. If one hair on your or Sam, Noel or Shana's heads are harmed, I'll slaughter the snakes in that town. Stay safe, my demon. For their sakes." Alison nodded, though she knew Miyako couldn't see. "I will. I'll tell Sam, Noel and Shana. I love you, mother."

The voice on the other end softened, "And I love you, my sweet little demon. You are strong and willful. These cowardly little weaklings will need to do more than just crawl around in the dark to stop you."

Alison smirked. If there was anyone who trusted her skills besides Cece and Noel that she was in recent contact with, it was Miyako. After all, a great deal of tactics that would be likely used soon were Miyako's, and the woman had taught Alison them all too well.

"Goodbye, my little demon." Miyako said, voice gentle and Alison could just picture the serene but caring look on the woman's face as she said it. Alison smiled, looking down lovingly down at the phone. "Goodbye, mother."

Alison hung up and quickly deleted the evidence of the call, shoving the duct tape wrapped phone into her pocket, placing her communication device back into her ear. Miyako was yet again one of the many blades in human form that would be dangerous to be in this town. Miyako on her own would be able to dispatch the whole police department of Rosewood with only her fists and legs, let alone if Miyako had her beloved katana with her. If Miyako's sisters, Takara, Shigeko and Natsuko got involved, bearing their own katanas, they might take the whole town. This was why Alison was so hesitant to even hint that they might need backup.

There might not be anyone in the town left after she and her group were through if this turned into a whole outright war.

Alison tried to distract herself from those thoughts and clicked her communication link and felt her mouth drop when she saw the face on her screen-saw who Noel was talking to.

"Holy shit." She whispered.

 **(Page break)**

Noel didn't know what was happening on the other end. Alison had just switched off the communication link literally a few seconds ago. The young man glanced at Eddie. After Klause had left, at Noel's bullshit excuse, going to talk to the supervisors, Noel had leaned in closely to Eddie and whispered something about Jessica DiLaurentis. Now Lamb was looking at him like he knew something he shouldn't. Something he couldn't possibly know. Noel just gave the other man the smug smirk he always gave to someone when he made it clear he knew something someone didn't or something someone didn't want him to know.

Knowing he had Lamb's attention, Noel decided to play a bit hard to get and turned away from the nearly bald man, walking quicker. "Hold it, wait, what?" Eddie demanded, walking faster to catch up with the younger. "What was that?" The man grabbed Noel's right shoulder and turned him around, staring at the student, "How do you know Jessica DiLaurentis?" Noel cocked his head, still smirking, "What do you mean by that? Everyone knows her. Her name's all over the place." Eddie shook his head, glaring, "That's not what I mean. Why did you mention her _here_?"

Noel pulled away from Eddie's grasp. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Noel nodded to cell 317. "Jessica DiLaurentis. Did she visit that cell ever?" Eddie's face suddenly went as white as a sheet. The dark-skin of his face became pale. The man stepped back. "How did you know that?" He asked numbly. Noel shrugged, turning again, his mind doing backflips and releasing howls of joy at hearing what he was hearing, "Lets just say, I know way more than you think. And the patient that was in that cell? I know that she's not as recovered as Klause says she is." Dark eyes watched Noel descend down the stairs, fascinated and frightened.

Noel moved through the hall, hearing Eddie behind him. Noel dug into his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper and grabbed the pen off the desk in the front, glancing around, making sure there were no cameras. There were none. Not around this area. And no one was looking. Noel flipped off the cap onto the desk and started writing on the slip of paper. He wrote, _"We'll talk later. Meet me somewhere no one will see us. We have to talk. Whatever you know, you need to tell me. It's about the patient in Cell 317."_ Noel looked around as he rapidly scribbled. No one was looking at him, save for Eddie, who was trying to make out what the younger was writing. Noel looked down and kept writing, _"Is there anywhere where we can talk without someone hearing or seeing us?"_

Noel turned, dropped the pen on the desk and shoved the paper into Eddie's hands. Eddie looked at the paper, startled. Noel waited a few moments, heart pounding. Eddie looked back up at Noel, face still ashen. Noel could just see the questions running around in the man's eyes. Most of them likely being, "what the fuck?"

There were footsteps from where Klause had disappeared, signaling someone approaching. Eddie looked panicked a moment before shoving the piece of paper into his pants pocket. He stared at Noel in question. "I'd suggest tearing that up and flushing the pieces first chance you get." Noel said, looking at Eddie's pocket. "You don't want people knowing I asked these questions. Just trust me on that." Eddie took another glance at the hall and whispered to Noel, "Meet me behind the Chinese restaurant on Chester Street. At 7 o'clock tonight. You know where that is?" Noel couldn't keep the grin off his face, nodding. "Yeah. I know. Thanks."

Eddie shook his head, mumbling, "I know I'm gonna regret this." Noel smirked and turned to the approaching figures. The young man's heart almost stopped when he saw who was walking in tow with Klause.

"Well hello," The charming British voice spoke, as all too innocent eyes looked up at Noel, a smile on a handsome face that Noel had learned to distrust, "You are Mr. Kahn, correct? I'm here to speak on the supervisors' behalf." Noel almost felt his stomach turn. He hadn't thought it possible. But here he was. Here was the man that Alison regarded as the devil himself. Who was in the A-Team to get his hands on Spencer. Wren Kingston.

Noel felt the blood drain from his body. Whatever accusations Alison made of Wren, suddenly made a lot more sense. Especially if he was here while Mona was being kept here. Noel heard uneasy movement behind him and glanced over his shoulder. Eddie was casting an uncomfortable glance at Wren. Noel for a second thought that the man was trying to hide what he and Noel had been discussing, but when Noel looked back at the British man, Wren sent a cold smile to Eddie that made Noel stiffen. "Mr. Lamb," Wren said, "Is there a reason you're here? If you don't mind, I'd like to speak to Mr. Kahn personally."

Eddie somehow looked paler and nodded, moving slowly. Noel looked at Eddie, now curious by this clearly cautious behavior. Eddie cast a look at Noel, and in seconds, thanks to years of experience of reading looks sent to him by Alison and Shana-looks alone, Noel recognized what Eddie was saying with unnerved eyes, _Be careful of that one._

Eddie quickly, too quickly turned and walked down the hall.

Noel looked back at Wren, making sure his face was as clueless as possible. "What was that about?" The young man laughed. Wren smiled. "Oh, nothing. Just some confusion and incompetence. Now then, you had questions about this place?"

"Ah yes," Noel began, starting to walk next to the slimy British creep, "Just for reports. It's not really required or any assignment that was given to me, but I wanted to report on something important. Something that I think no one in this town has really investigated much into. Mental illness and the stigma of mental illness." Wren smiled, "Well then, you came to the right place. This place I'm afraid is full of lost souls-people abandoned by society and by their own loved ones." Noel walked alongside the other man, still not sure if trusting Eddie Lamb had been a good idea or not, but keeping the camera in his pocket aimed at Wren, recording what the other said. Alison must have been done talking with whoever she was on the phone with, because he heard a click on the other end and then Alison's voice as she must have seen Wren on her screen.

" _Holy shit."_ Alison whispered on her end, making Noel restrain a smirk, _"Wren really is there. This suddenly explains a lot of what happened with the IDs."_

 **(Page break)**

Cece picked up her coffee from the counter and smiled charmingly at Sam who was smirking back. "Thank you." Cece nodded to the younger girl, "You have a good day." "You too." Sam said, winking. Both women gave brief glances at the other denizens in the store. No one seemed to notice their interaction. Cece turned and mouthed to Sam, "see you later" as she walked out the door and Sam waved to the older. Just as Cece was about to cross the street, she almost fell off the pavement when she saw a car pull up next to her. A car she recognized.

Darren Wilden's car. The cop got out of the car, glaring at her. "Drake!" He spat, walking around the car, eyes furious, and grabbed her, "Get in the car, now!" Cece stood, aghast. Her mouth dropped. Her heart raced. The main emotion running around in her gut, though she'd deny it quickly, was fear. "Why?" She asked, finding her voice somehow, "I haven't done anything wrong. I've broken no laws officer." Both sentences of course, were lies, but Wilden didn't know that. The man just kept glaring and pushed her toward the passenger side of his car.

"Get in!" He snapped, still pushing her. Cece glanced up and saw Hanna Marin and her mother Ashley staring across from the street at her. Cece looked over her shoulder at Wilden, and saw past him, seeing Sam in front of the window, staring. Fear on the young girl's face.

Cece was forced into the front seat, almost spilling her coffee. In her panic, she let loose a small laugh, looking at Darren as he slammed the door and walked around the car, opening his door, "Easy, Darren! Some of us haven't had our coffee today! Give a girl some time to drink her coffee before you accost her!" Cece's grin barely stayed on her face with Darren's acidic stare being thrown at her. Something told her shit was about to hit the fan.

"We need to talk." Darren snapped coldly, turning on his car and starting to drive away. Cece tried to ignore the icy cold feeling welling up in her stomach. What was this bastard up to? As Darren drove fast down the road, he spat, never once turning his glare on Cece, "You need to learn to keep your damn mouth shut. You told them about me and Alison!" Cece blinked. Her heart stopped. Them? He had to be talking about Hanna and the other girls. And the only way he could have found out was either if there were cameras recording her telling Emily about it or Emily spilled to the others and they spilled to Wilden.

In the cold tension now cloaking Cece, she found a grim laugh bubble up in her throat. It looked like the four girls that Alison loved so much weren't as trustworthy as Alison thought they were.

Even if they hadn't meant it to hurt Cece, by telling Wilden about his time with Alison, they had put her and possibly Alison too in danger. Cece narrowed her eyes, looking away from the man that had terrorized her beloved little sister so much when she was younger and stared out the window. Those girls…it didn't matter how much Ali loved them. They proved that they were a danger to themselves as well as other people by being this incompetent. Foolishness could be just as dangerous as deliberate endangerment. Cruelty didn't always lead to murder or torture, but ignorance didn't always end harmlessly either. Then again, perhaps she had proven foolish just to talk with them about Alison's "possible" pregnancy. She hoped to whatever being was listening that Wilden didn't suspect he had children out there. She was _not_ going to let him get his hands on Victoria and Julia. She probably was not going to be able to talk her way out of this one. She glanced at Wilden and made sure his eyes were on the road. They were. She lowered her coffee to her lap and her right hand let go of the cup and drifted down to her purse, fishing out her cell phone and dialing in Sam's number under texts quickly.

 **(Page break)**

Back at the Brew, the panicked Sam felt a vibration against her leg, pulling out her phone and saw Cece's text, _"Contact the others. We might have a problem."_

Sam tried not to groan. She knew her job was to stay here. But she couldn't just leave Cece to Wilden. Though she had never met the man before personally, she knew who he was. Alison had showed her and Kira pictures of him. That man was Darren Wilden. A dangerous man. Worked for –A. Had been part of the same group of creeps that her current boss, Zach was, the NAT club and liked younger girls. The thought made Sam's blood boil. She stuffed her phone in her pocket and went to the wall where she had propped her skateboard gear against. She looked at Zach, trying to hide her disgust as well as she could behind a pleasant little smile. "Sorry, Zach, but can I head home? My homework needs to be finished fast. I kind of leave stuff till last minute."

The scumbag, who acted normal enough when other people were around so far gave a nice smile. "Sure. Go on home. I'll survive without you." He gave a joking laugh that almost sounded charming, and would have to Sam, had she not known what he was. "Good luck on your homework, kid." Sam smiled, picking up her skateboard and helmet. "Thanks!" She quickly went around the counter and bolted out the door, fixing on her helmet and pads and slamming her skateboard down on the road, jumping on it and trailing after the corrupt police officer's car.

A few minutes down the road, when Wilden's car came to a stop sign and halted, Sam circled around to an alley, and put her sneakered foot down on the pavement, making her movement stop and peered out from the wall at the car. Wilden still wasn't moving. Sam took that time to pull out her phone and text Shana.

 **(Page break)**

Shana glanced over at where Kira was putting away some plastic masks on a rack, balancing herself on a tall ladder when she felt a vibration against her thigh. Narrowing her eyes curiously, Shana pulled out her phone and looked at who was texting. Sam. Shana checked the text quickly, hair on the back of her neck standing up at what she read.

" _Sis, I just saw Cece get picked up by Wilden! He didn't look happy. You think he knows? He didn't seem to see me, or he doesn't know about me, but he might hurt Cece. I'm following them now."_

Shana hissed, hiding the screen from anyone. Luckily there were no cameras in this part of the store. She looked at Kira, who hadn't seemed to notice her sister's discomfort. Shana checked around, making sure no one was paying attention, before walking over to the ladder. "Kira!" She hissed up at the younger, "Come down for a sec." Kira looked down at Shana, blue eyes narrowed and she slowly climbed down in front of Shana. "What's up?" Kira asked, smirking. Shana sighed, feeling the muscles in her whole body tighten. "It's Cece. She's in trouble." Immediately, Kira's eyes hardened. The younger girl's jaw clenched dangerously. Shana could feel a slight smile tease at her lips. Here was the problem with someone messing with a member of their family. When someone tried to hurt one of their family, they hurt everyone in the family.

"Who is it?" Kira asked quietly voice coated in murderous intent that made Shana almost grin, "And how badly do we get to mess them up for what they're doing to Cece?"

 **(Page break)**

Noel, with each word he was recording on the camera of what was coming out of Wren's mouth, could feel his disgust mount. He could see why Eddie and Alison both were so unsettled by this guy. There was just something altogether false about him. Like the persona he was speaking to wasn't really the real him.

Noel tried not to shiver as he remembered Wren's file that he and Ali had locked away. Dissociative personality disorder. Was this even the real Wren Noel was speaking to? Or was this one of the personalities? A few years ago, Wren had been locked up right here in Radley. Noel tried not to swallow nervously. This man had once been a patient here. Now he was a doctor here. He wasn't sure that was a really good thing.

The brown-haired supposed doctor just kept his smiles in place, providing the perfect, polite expression. Noel gathered that that countenance was quite useful when charming his way through the facility. What was he doing here though? Wasn't Wren a physical type of doctor? Noel didn't know anything about medicine. Medicine for physical illnesses or injury, or for mental illness, but he was pretty sure that being a physician for one of those areas didn't mean he had access to all areas. Just how much power in this town did Wren possess? Noel felt a cold, clammy hand grasp at his back, thinking about that. This man was dangerous. There was no doubt about it. Wren Kingston was dangerous. How exactly he had been able to fool everyone as long as he had, Noel really had no idea.

"I'm curious," Noel began, feeling nervousness begin to spike, "That room, upstairs. What caused all those scratches?"

Wren didn't show any concern at all. He just lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, cell 317?" He asked, smiling, "That was a cell of one of our more severely sick patients. She was….very ill. She's fine now though." Only then did Noel see a change in Wren's demeanor. His eyes shifted slightly, as if he was nervous. The doctor's lips twitched too and Noel made out a slight swallow in the other man's throat. Noel kept a smirk under control.

Clearly, that patient in cell 317 made the people in this institution very, very nervous.

"What was the patient's condition, if you don't mind me asking?" Noel asked, knowing he was pushing his luck.

Wren seemed to grow paler at the question, but after wetting his lips a moment, he sighed, "I'd prefer not to discuss that patient's condition. I'm afraid it was quite severe. However, she has made a full recovery. And was released about four years ago." Noel nodded. "Yeah, I heard that much already. But you know, leaving scratches all over the inside of the cell. That's pretty intense." Wren smiled. "Yes. Intense indeed. Well, I assure you, we took care of the patient the best we could and got excellent results. Dr. Oliver and Dr. Grant took care of her best they could and she is quite well now. Has moved to another town with her family."

Noel almost stiffened when he heard Alison gasp in his ear, _"Dr. Oliver? Dr. Grant? I know those names."_

Noel narrowed his eyes, hearing that. Grant and Oliver? They were important, it seemed. But who were they? "Ah, okay." Noel began, making sure his voice was as kind as possible, "I'm sorry, but I'm very curious about the patient that recovered upstairs. At least about her condition. Is there any chance that I could speak to one of her doctors about it?" That question instantly caused Wren to become stiff and uneasy. The expression was gone in a second though. Fear and panic crossed those brown eyes before a serene smile crossed the British man's face. "I'm afraid not. Dr. Grant retired and moved away across the country, you see. And Dr. Oliver is away for a specific case for the week. I'm afraid there won't be any talking to them any time soon."

"I see." Noel said, again, fighting a smirk. So both doctors supposedly moved away. How convenient. "In that case, can I speak with you or other doctors with only their permission of course, about the other conditions. I suppose of the patients on the second or first floor." Wren's smile was back and full in place. "Of course. I'm sure we can arrange that. There are some doctors that are here who are the personal physicians of those that are held on the second floor, if you'd like to speak with them."

"Thank you." Noel said, giving a calm smile. "Out of curiosity, do you look after anyone on the second floor?" Wren didn't seem to see anything wrong with that question. He just smiled back. "Oh yes, I look after a few here. I was looking after one that recently was released and got a clean bill of health, so there's one victory." Noel nodded. "That's great to hear." He heard Alison whisper, _"I wonder if that newly released patient was Mona."_

Noel tried not to feel too tense. He suspected Alison was right.

 **(Page break)**

Alison listened to what Wren was saying, absorbing each lie she heard. How had anyone thought this guy was trustworthy? He was almost as slippery as she, Noel and Cece were. Hearing the names "Dr. Oliver" and "Dr. Grant" made a cold chill hit her. Grant. Oliver. Those names were clearly more important than she originally had thought. Those were the names that had been on Wren Kingston's file. They had been visitors while he had been in Radley. He had been a patient in Radley and Grant and Oliver had been his visitors. Their names had appeared under visitors. Not physicians. Maybe only his father had been Wren's doctor. But if that was the case, why had Oliver and Grant visited?

Alison reached up to her left shoulder and fingered the thin ropes of her backpack, containing Spencer's Radley file, as she had come to do ever since first finding the file. As if wanting to make absolutely sure that it was still strapped to her back. She had checked her bag this morning, almost religiously, making sure Spencer's file was safely in her bag.

As Alison tried to divulge what connection Wren had with Oliver and Grant, there was a vibration against her leg and she held back a groan. What was happening this time? It was a single vibration, so no one was calling her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, checking her texts.

She stiffened. It was from Shana.

Shana: _"Ali, Cece's in trouble! Wilden's got her! She needs help."_

Alison almost dropped the phone, which was now being held in a cold hand. Alison felt the blood drain from her. Cece….

Alison felt a spike of ice thrust into her. Wilden? But why? What could Cece possibly have done to catch his attention? Everyone who Alison had sent to infiltrate this town had been more or less discreet. At least about what they did and said concerning any past event. Alison almost sighed painfully. Right. But this was Cece. If there was anyone who could run a rumor mill all on her own forever, it was her big sister.

Alison could only conclude that Wilden got wind of Cece talking about him having sex with Alison before or about the NAT club. Whatever. She and Noel had to pull out. Cece needed help.

She texted back quickly, _"Alright. Noel and I are coming. What's your and Kira's position?"_

Alison waited, heart pounding in her ears, blocking out whatever Noel and Wren were saying to each other. The response came three minutes after she sent her message.

Shana: _"Kira and I were about to leave. But there's a problem. Emily and Hanna just showed up at the costume store. With Paige. I'll keep them busy. I told Kira to meet with you at one of the baseball fields. On the north side of the town. In the forest. Where are you? And Noel's with you?"_

Alison grimaced. She wasn't going to tell Shana yet that she and Noel were at Radley. That she'd save for later. There was no time right now. So Emily, Hanna and Paige were at the costume store. Probably trying to find out anything on –A as they always did. Okay, so Kira was heading to the field now.

She texted back, _"Understood. Noel and I will meet Kira there. You take care and don't tell them anything. If they dig anymore, –A might hurt them worse. Just keep them busy."_

Shana's response was _"Will do. Please be careful, baby girl. Both of you. And protect Cece. I'm perfectly safe and so are Emily and Hanna. Just worry about Cece right now. Sam's following them, but she might need backup."_

Alison smiled, texting, _"Alright. We'll be careful. We're going to rescue Cece. I don't know what's going on with Wilden, but we'll find out. Delete these texts after you get them. And keep Emily, Hanna and Paige busy."_

Shana's response: _"Don't worry about it. Go meet with Kira."_

Alison put deleted the texts, and shoved the phone in her pocket. She turned back to the screen, whispering to Noel. "Noel, we don't have a choice about staying here right now. We have to leave. Cece's in trouble. Wilden has her. Kira's going to meet us in the baseball field north of the town. In the woods. We have to go now."

She was sure she heard a hiss on the other end of her line. She added, "I'll text you and you'll tell them that it's an errand from your parents. That'll give you an excuse to get out of there fast without any suspicion."

She grabbed her phone and texted Noel.

She saw movement and a phone being pulled out after she heard the sound of a vibration and then she heard Noel's apologetic voice, speaking to the curious Wren, _"Sorry, doc, my dad just texted me. I completely forgot about this, but there's an errand he and my mom wants me to do. It's a building project in one of our beach houses. They want a special paint for it, like now. And they want me to pick it up. Sorry, but I gotta go."_

Alison smirked. Good boy, Noel. He was skating pretty close to the truth, too. Noel's parents, who frankly, he had never been that close to in the first place, _were_ painting one of their beach houses and did want a special paint. This lie from Noel wouldn't be too weird. Anyone would believe it.

" _Ah, sorry to hear."_ Wren told the other man, _"I suppose it can't be helped. How about I give you my email and I can give you the information you need to contact the other doctors?"_

Noel's response thankfully didn't sound hasty, _"Yes, thank you. That would be most appreciated."_

After a quick giving of Wren's information, Noel said his goodbye and headed out.

Alison rounded the corner, staying near Noel's car. Noel emerged from the gates, only when he turned the corner and faced his sister, did Noel allow his panic to show. "What's happened?" He hissed, turning off his communication device, running over. Alison shook her head and turned off the screen and her com link, only taking her mask off when Noel was hidden behind the trees with her. "I don't know. I can only assume that Wilden heard the rumor Cece gave. I'll tell you when the technology's off and we're away from Radley. But we have to move now. We need to meet Kira and rescue Cece."

Noel nodded. "Right. Let's go."

The two swiftly jumped in the car, Alison hid her face and hair and Noel started up the car, pulling out and circling around the institute, going on the main road and driving towards the north.

A few minutes down the road, once Alison made sure all of the technology was off and concealed so that no crazy ass hacker could see or hear them, only then did Noel grumble as he drove, "How the hell did Wilden hear any rumor from Cece anyway? It's not like even she'd be out of her mind enough to tell him to his face." Alison shook her head. "I don't think she just told anyone. I think she told the girls about it so that they could have the information they needed to go on it. I don't think Cece would have told anyone else besides the girls in this town."

Noel shrugged, voice coming out cynically, "Yeah, well, we know how well that's gone. Apparently those girls aren't very good at keeping people safe." "Noel!" Alisons snapped, glaring at her brother behind her mask. Despite the frightening appearance of the mask, plus the acidity of the glare, Noel just shook his head, "No, Ali. Sure, Cece shouldn't have mentioned that rumor to the girls, but if Wilden heard about it, it wasn't from Cece. It was from the girls. One of them, or maybe all of them opened their mouths about it. My money's on Hanna. Maybe Cece shouldn't have talked about it, but what did the girls think would happen? They have a responsibility themselves. I know it's hard to accept that the four of them aren't perfect, but you know, they put Cece in danger by opening their big mouths, and you know it."

Alison turned her head away, seething. No matter how much she wanted to yell at Noel, she couldn't find her voice for it. She hated this, but he was right. Maybe Cece should have been more careful, but if there was one thing that the girls, especially Hanna proved was that naivety and ignorance could be just as deadly as cruelty and murderous intent. Even if there was no malicious intention behind the actions or words, they could still be deadly.

Just one wrong move or word could get someone killed sometimes.

Alison breathed out harshly, leaning back against her seat as Noel drove.

Another few minutes past and they pulled up to the baseball field. Alison peeked through the eyes of her mask, through the window of Noel's car. She saw a figure meandering close to the baseball cage, making sure that most of her body was behind a wide oak tree. "Okay." She said, "Pull up here. I think I see Kira."

Noel parked behind part of the greenery, getting out. Alison looked around, making sure no one was watching. The park was practically abandoned. She shot out of the car and closed the door behind her, ducking through the forest. She called over to Noel as she moved quickly to where Kira was, "Don't bother locking the door! We'll be taking off soon!" Her voice reached Kira, because the other girl turned to her and immediately tensed up, ready for a fight, right hand going to her jeans where Alison knew the other girl's small knives were hidden.

"Easy, Kira." Alison laughed to the other girl, "Easy. It's just me." She pushed up her mask, showing the other her face. Kira's tense body relaxed. The black-haired girl gave a relieved grin. "Don't scare me like that!" She snapped, laughter in her voice. Alison smiled despite herself. "Sorry, Kira. But we have to move now. Cece might be in danger as you know. Shana sent me to get you. Noel's here too. Let's go rescue Cece."

Kira nodded, running over, taking note of Noel who waved to Kira from the driver's part of the car where he stood.

"How long ago did you get the message about Cece?" Alison asked Kira as the two girls dove for the car, "And who sent it?" Without looking at her sister, Kira opened the back car door. "Sam saw Cece get grabbed after Cece bought her coffee. And that was a half hour ago. According to Sam, they took off near the main road. And Wilden looked like he was driving to the beach or something." Alison tried not to feel her stomach roil. No, Wilden wouldn't be dumb enough to hurt Cece at all-at least not if he was going to grab her in the middle of the day with dozens of onlookers.

Even in Rosewood, a young woman disappearing right after a cop grabbed her would make plenty of sinister rumors run around. And Wilden wouldn't risk looking like the bad guy.

No, if he was going to try anything with Cece, Wilden would do it later, when Cece had been seen safely with others, and only when the woman was on her own, when no one had seen her and Wilden together. Still, they needed to see what was going on between Cece and Wilden. Alison was NOT going to risk any harm coming to her big sister.

"I don't think Wilden would be dumb enough to do anything to Cece when there were so many witnesses that saw her get grabbed by him," Alison said, jumping into the car next to Noel and they closed up the doors and Noel started up the car, "But we need to know if she's okay. Kira, Shana said that Sam was following them, right?" Alison looked in the car mirror above her and Noel's heads and saw Kira nod. "Yeah." The other girl said, "Sam told that creep, Zach that she had to go home and get some homework done and is trailing them on her skateboard." "Yeah, Shana told me," Alison said, trying to think quick, "I'll text Sam and see where they are."

As Noel started driving off, Alison pulled out her phone and texted Sam quick, knowing to keep the message in code, and knowing that Sam would understand what she said, _"Sam, it's me, Karen, remember, you met me at school? I know you're doing your homework like you said. How's it going? I can't figure out some problems I have on my homework."_

She and Sam had agreed on what number to use. Sure, what she said in the text was completely vague, and a completely different name, but she knew Sam would recognize the number, and if she didn't, she'd certainly recognize the title, as it was an inside joke between her, Sam, Cece, Adriana, Nomi and Neets. The title of "SnakeDragon." A little joke they came up with after binge watching Game of Thrones and all of the Harry Potter movies.

The response came back swift, _"It's coming along alright. At least the last time I looked at it. But I'm at Sullivan Street now. So too far away from home to really look at my homework. We'll see when I get there. Oh, hey, just past by the beach! Getting closer!"_

Alison sucked in a breath. "They're near Sullivan Street! Right at the beach. Sam's watching them. Let's go." Noel nodded and sped up. As he drove, Noel grumbled, "I really hope we resolve this before 7 o'clock tonight." Earning confused looks from both Alison and Kira, Noel smirked, "I'll explain later."

 **(Page break)**

Shana smiled as Emily, Hanna and Paige exited the shop. She wasn't as fooled as she suspected they thought she was. It was likely that the whole reason they had been here was to check out the Queen of Hearts costume, and that had been exactly what they had done. Shana wasn't sure how stupid they thought she was. As soon as Emily claimed that she needed to use the bathroom, Shana knew she shouldn't be surprised when she found vital information on her laptop missing. She knew that the girls were going to be playing their little amateur sleuth game.

Then again, Shana would admit that she and the others weren't that much better, at least they were more tactful about it.

When Shana was sure the girls and Paige were out of sight, she walked back behind the desk with the laptop, checking to see where the cameras in the store were.

Two of them were obscured from her view, which meant they couldn't see her either. And the other two were out of range of her. She smirked. Good. She thought about what had been happening.

Things were getting dangerous. Really dangerous. Wilden had grabbed Cece. And it was only an amount of time before Wilden tried to find out if Ali was still alive. Whoever –A was, Courtney, a mysterious twin, or whoever, they knew that Alison was alive. And Wilden was part of the A-Team. How long would it be before Wilden found out? And what if he found out about Victoria and Julia? Shana felt her throat go dry. They needed to bring in troops. There was no way around it. That wasn't even taking into account that they still didn't know everyone that was in the A-Team.

She reached into her other pocket without another moment's hesitation and pulled out her extra phone that was duct taped too, had the chip taken out and coded. No one was watching. The cameras couldn't see her. If there was ever a time for this, it was now.

 **(Page break)**

 **Location-Boston**

Wolfgang watched the others with cool blue eyes. He could just feel the anxiety from everyone and for once it had nothing to do with his connection to seven of the other people in the room.

"You heard what's going on." Nomi said, sitting back from her computer, skeptical eyes watching behind her glasses, sending a quick, grateful smile to Neets who brought over two mugs of coffee, pecking her girlfriend on the cheek when the other woman leaned down, returning the small kiss. "We have to send in reinforcements. Or at least one of us. One of us so that we can show the other seven what's going on."

"Well, sure." Lito said, leaning over the computer, seeing the records Nomi had found on the town of Rosewood, "But who? Will's the most inconspicuous." He flashed an apologetic smile to his brother and Will waved Lito's grin away. It was sort of a well-known fact that Will was somewhat of the "most normal of everyone in their cluster."

Riley was DJ who occasionally used drugs. Capheus had been a van driver who had been an escort of a crime lord's daughter-who was from Kenya. Lito was Mexico's most famous actor. Nomi was a transgender hacker. Wolfgang was a former German gang member. Kala had been a scientist student from another country that believed in gods. And Sun was from Korea, a big businesswoman and heavy in physical combat, not to mention a former convict before she had been released.

Of the eight that was their cluster, Will would be the least likely to catch peoples' attention. He could be the most inconspicuous. Will was a white guy from Chicago, who at the most had gone against his chief's orders.

Of everyone in their cluster, Will would catch the least amount of attention from people in Rosewood-a town that thrived on heteronormativity, whiteness and masculinity. "That's true." Nomi said, glancing at Will. Not to mention, Will was once a cop. He had the most experience with police officers and would know what to say and do to make the Rosewood police trust him.

"Sure, but," Neets looked worriedly at Will, "Didn't he get suspended? And I don't think him disappearing for as long as he did is going to do him any favors in that place." There was a pause between everyone in the room. The group of sensates, Neets, Dani, Hernando, Shiro-Capheus's mother and Kala's mother shuffled around the room, trying to figure out what to do here.

"Let's just look at what happened before." Will said, bringing his left hand to his chin in thought. "Last we heard from Shana, they rescued that girl, Maya from –A. And Mona Vanderwaal was released from the facility." Dani snorted. "Who let that lunatic out anyway? She hit her closest friend with a car!" "Who the hell knows?" Nomi grumbled, looking back at the screen of her computer, the camera on the screen duct taped over after the BPO started tracking them.

There was the sound of some cries from the other room. "Maan!" Kala smiled, sighing, leaving the room to tend to her and Wolfgang's little girl, Jesbir, who was in the next room. Their daughter's cry of 'mommy' in Hindi made Wolfgang smile. They had been debating which languages to teach Jesbir first. Hindi and German naturally were the first two. But there had been a question of English and Spanish.

As Kala left, Wolfgang looked at the others. "I won't catch that much attention." He said. "I know English, and I look the part." "Do you?" Hernando asked, glancing at his lover's brother. "You don't dress like someone that would live in that town." Wolfgang looked down at his attire. Okay, fine, Hernando had a point. He always wore black, wore black boots. He'd probably catch a lot of attention. Rosewood was one of those towns that appeared beautiful, serene and polite. Someone like Wolfgang would stick out like a sore thumb.

"Maybe we _should_ send in Will." Sun said, voice deeply accented, though everyone understood her, as she spoke in English, "He wouldn't even have to be a policeman. He could just apply for a job in the town." Will smiled, gesturing to the kick boxer. "Exactly." He looked at the others. "I could go into the town, work there. And the rest of you would be connected to me."

"Yeah but," Riley said, glancing at Nomi's laptop, "Our connection doesn't always work like that. Sometimes we see things the others do. And sometimes we don't. You know that. Sometimes we see what one person sees and sometimes we don't." Nomi eyed the other woman. "What are you saying? You think more than one of us should go?"

Riley nodded. "I know we might draw attention to ourselves, but this isn't the first time this has happened, is it? We've drawn attention to ourselves before, and still, we've stopped our enemies."

"Yes." Capheus reasoned, looking at his mother sadly, "But how many people do we want to risk dying because of it?" There was another pause. Many people had died because of them. BPO people. People that had just been doing their job. Many of them most likely had no idea what they were involved in and were just as much victims as the senseates were that they were tricked into hunting.

But it didn't change that they had to survive. That they were in a war with other people. Even if the people of the BPO didn't know what they had signed up for, that hadn't made them a non-threat. It was the same with Rosewood.

"That's something I wish we didn't have to deal with." Nomi said, her eyes hardened in concentration. "But this town is corrupt. These people might not know what's going on when their backs are turned, but they're the ones who are choosing to ignore it. They're blissful ignorance is dangerous. It was the same thing with the BPO. And with that gang in Philadelphia. And the cultists." There was a unanimous shudder in the room that everyone, save for Sun, Nomi and Wolfgang experienced. The cultists. The less they thought about them the better. Yes, the not all of the cultists had exactly signed on to commit rape and murder, but they hadn't bothered stopping it or investigating it.

"Cultists." Capheus mumbled, reaching to his right arm where the knife scar was near his elbow, remembering where one of the chiefs of the cultists had stabbed him a year ago.

Shiro gave her son a sad look. She usually would never wish death on anyone, but she was actually happy when the fire inside the cultists' lair had consumed everyone in their hideout.

"So that's the point." Nomi grumbled, "We need people in the town besides the people already there. I know none of us want to think about this, but the fact is, we're in a war with Rosewood. We need to station troops. We need our first line of defense."

Still, there was a pause. Everyone was trying to decide what the best thing to do was. This wouldn't be as clear-cut as before. All of the other situations had been dealt with easily with fists, with guns, with fire. This wasn't a shadowy business or gang members or cultists. This was a small town full of usually very friendly people. They would have to use somewhat different tactics than before.

Will shook his head. "I'll go. We need to make the decision now. Or soon. I'll go. I won't catch that much attention and I'll give you the information. Either through our connection or by texting. We'll see." He looked at the others seriously. "Anyone else that wants to go, then let's go. But we need to make a decision here."

Will pretty much said what everyone was thinking. Lito spoke up, "I'm good at acting, but I would catch too much attention because of who I was in Mexico." He sounded disappointed as he said it, and everyone in the room knew why. Hernando also winced. "We would catch too much attention." Will nodded, understanding. He met Hernando's eyes, being reassuring as he spoke, "I'll make sure Ali's okay. I promise." Hernando smiled ruefully, thankful clearly, but still saw the problem for what it was. None of the senseates and Hernando and Neets liked not knowing if Alison was safe or not. Right now, they knew that Alison, Cece, Shana, Noel, Margo, Kira and Sam were in the bowels of that town. Alison was the only one that hadn't appeared in public yet for obvious reasons.

None of felt that good that Alison hadn't contacted them yet and told them what happened. It was the reason why they were on edge right now. Hernando and Lita wanted to see their child. Riley and Neets had nearly convinced Nomi to get into a train and go all the way to Pennsylvania a few days ago when they learned from Adriana about Maya and just how close Alison had been to –A.

Thankfully, Will and Sun had convinced them not to. But now they had the option again. There was a pinging noise of a cell phone and Will narrowed his eyes, pulling out his phone. He looked at it.

"It's from Shana." He told the others, not looking at them till his eyes became huge. "What?" Riley asked, walking closer to her boyfriend. "Will, what is it? Is it Ali?" Immediately, the tension in the room increased. Nomi sat around in her seat, staring up at her brother. Neets, Lito and Dani all watched. Capheus stepped forward, face determined, deep, kind eyes worried.

"It's Cece." Will said, looking up at the others. "She's been grabbed by Wilden. One of the A-Team. Shana's worried that Wilden will find out about Ali being alive. And Cece might be in danger." There was a resounding unease and muttering between everyone in the room.

"Well, that does it." Lito said, speaking for everyone.

No one responded, but they all knew Lito was right. That really did it. The A-Team was getting too close. They had to fight back. They had to protect their family. Nomi stood up, cool and neutral, but eyes fiery as they had been while dealing with the BPO. "I don't care what it takes. We have to stop the A-Team. I'm going to Rosewood." The hacker spoke firmly, leaving no room for debate.

"Nomi-" Will began. "No," Nomi said, cutting him off. "You go. But I'm going too."

"We need you here." Riley said, meeting her sister's eyes. "You're our hacker. Our best chance at taking –A down. If –A finds out about you, we're in deep shit. You'll be far more help to us and to Ali and Cece here where you can work from your computer without being watched."

Nomi tensed, but nodded, eyes softening when Neets put a gentle hand on her lover's shoulder. "I know…I know you're right." Nomi said sadly. Neets hugged Nomi from behind, resting her head on the other woman's shoulder. None of them liked this. Being here instead of being in Rosewood where they could make sure the rest of their family was safe. But they had to think differently than when they'd think with the BPO or other enemies. In Rosewood, facades were everything.

"We'll go." Riley said, putting her hand on Will's wrist, "We can come up with a good story while we're there." Riley looked at Wolfgang. "Maybe you should come with us. We need more muscle. Sun might attract attention." She mouthed "sorry" to Sun, but the woman smirked, understanding. Wolfgang didn't look like he'd belong in Rosewood at all, but at least he wouldn't catch as much attention as a released Korean convict who knew kick boxing like Sun would.

"Alright." Wolfgang nodded, glancing at the room where Kala had disappeared to. Riley smiled. "You know she'll understand. They both will." Wolfgang didn't say anything and his fingers went up to his pocket where he concealed one of his stolen guns. "When do we leave?" He asked, frost in his tone.

"Now." Hernando said, looking around, "I might not be able to come but if I have to stay back, you're going now. If Alison's in danger-" "She won't be." Wolfgang almost growled, blue eyes glinting with warning, "If I even think she or Cece are in danger, I'll kill that cop. I'm done screwing around with that bullshit town." "Wolfgang." Lito said, smirking, "How many times have I told you? Tact. You can't just barge into a place like that, and kill everyone you think is a threat. We need to do this very carefully."

"Which is why we might need to cut off the town's electricity and wifi connection." Nomi said, knowing she was heading into a lethal direction, "Cut off their ability to contact the outside world."

Capheus winced, understanding where they were going with this. They were thinking about what would happen if it really did turn into an all out war. If _that_ happened, they'd need to cut off outside connections from the town. Internet connections, electricity, phones. They'd need to make sure those in Rosewood couldn't call for help. They were basically systematically thinking of ways of cornering the people of Rosewood, in case they needed to massacre them.

There was an icy chill in the room. But it had been there for a while now. Maybe as long as they had accepted what they had to do to the BPO. And that had been almost three years ago.

There was too much blood on their hands to go back now and they knew it.

"We better get ready." Will said to cut the silence, but by that point, everyone knew what was going to happen.

 **Author's note:**

 **For those wondering, no, I am not bashing the girls or Hanna. Well, maybe a little. Just a little. The problem people don't seem to understand is that ignorance can be just as dangerous as cruelty. And while I don't think Hanna's an idiot-far from it, actually, I think she can actually be brilliant at times-meaning a lot of times, there is no way around that the whole Darren Wilden thing involving both Cece and Hanna's mother wouldn't have happened if Hanna had just not spilled to Wilden in the beginning of that episode in season 3.**

 **Yes, I know, Cece shouldn't have told them in the first place. And the fault is all on Wilden for grabbing Cece. But Hanna knew that Wilden was dangerous, and still told him about the rumor that Cece told her. What did she think would happen?**

 **And oh yeah, not only did Hanna telling Wilden that put Cece in danger, it also put Hanna herself and her own mother in danger for most of season 4.**

 **And as for those who still don't think ignorance can be just as dangerous as cruelty.** **"cough" "cough," Wilden from the books. That is all.**

 **Book Wilden: Okay, so I'm not going to arrest you, but I will not take your claims of being stalked seriously.**

 **Me: "So you won't arrest them but you won't protect them either? So, unlike the show where you're both annoying and dangerous, you're just useless?"**

 **Me: Kicks Book Wilden out the window.**

 **Book Wilden: But I'm a nice guy!**

 **Me: Idiot**

 **Think I'm being too harsh? Read the books. Wilden's useless in them. There's a psychopath that's stalking the girls, and he does nothing.**

 **Awesome1: That's good to hear. Nice hearing some of your friends see reason about Jason. And yeah, I'm always glad to be writing this. Ali needed a good family. Her parents and brother were so awful. And while everyone else is busy feeling empathy for pretty everyone else, Alison didn't get any of that. Another double standard, Caleb? His situation was a lot like Alison's while Ali was gone. He didn't have any family to look after him or a real stable life. And everyone in the show felt bad for him, so does the fandom. Even after Caleb used Hanna to get information for money.**

 **Funny how Caleb gets so much leeway and Alison gets none. And unlike Jason, I actually like Caleb.**

 **For anyone that understands Japanese or Hindi, I'm sorry if I butchered the languages. I'll change it if I got it wrong, since I've mostly been looking for translations on the internet.**


	24. And the sister isn't the only devil

**Warnings for violence shown in one scene and attempted murder at the end. Mentions also of rape of a minor.**

 **Chapter 24: And the sister isn't the only devil**

Sam flipped up her skateboard after she hopped off it and hid behind the reeds sticking up, ducking her head out and watching the movement in the car through the window. She saw Wilden's movements, indicating he was talking to Cece. Looked like he was yelling. Sam pressed her lips hard together. "Damn," She hissed, "And here I was hoping I'd have the super hearing of Superman." She couldn't hear a thing they said, but at least she could see them. Through the window, she could see if Wilden was trying to hurt Cece at all. He wasn't. Yet.

 **(Page break)**

Cece stared at the belligerent man next to her. She couldn't believe the gall of Darren sometimes. "Seriously?" She mocked, hoping Wilden didn't hear her terrified heart beating loud, "You believe a rumor like that? Do you have any ideas how many rumors about Alison DiLaurentis have traveled around town since her disappearance? And you're getting pissy about this _one?_ God, men really are too sensitive." Wilden glowered. "Don't push me, Drake." He snapped, "You told Hanna and the other girls about Alison and me in Cape May." Cece snorted, "I provide rumors, okay? I shouldn't have said it, but you know what? There's millions of rumors running around. Especially about Alison. This one will blow over just like all of them."

"But how many of those rumors involve me?" Darren growled, "You better shut up about that story, Drake, or I'll-"

"You'll what?" Cece sneered, her rage, remembering what this man did to Alison for years with the NAT club, and knowing that Alison had slept with Darren last minute because she claimed that it was her own free will making her blood boil, somehow making her forget fear, "You'll kill me? Shoot me? Beat me? Please by all means do." She smirked, "This town just recovered from one crooked cop being released from prison, would you like attention to be given to another one?" Cece felt a smirk form at Wilden's face becoming pale at the mention of Garret. Cece continued, feeling excitement fill her stomach, "And do remember that you grabbed me in the middle of the day. How many people saw us again? How many people saw you grab me? If anything happens to me, anything at all, I'll either report you, or I'll disappear and you'll be the first suspect on the list. Is that what you want?"

Wilden's face seemed paler and his teeth clenched. His eyes were dark with fury. Cece tried to keep her voice calm and gentle this time. "Now will you try to relax and just listen to me a moment? Yeah, I talked about what happened between you and Ali. I'll stop. And come on, be honest? Who'd take those girls seriously? How many times have they drawn attention to themselves? How many times have they cried wolf and it turned out to be nothing? I mean, sure there was the whole Ian thing, but they really could have handled that better." Cece knew that if she said this in front of Alison, she'd end up pissing the younger girl off big time. But Cece needed to Wilden to see reason. He wouldn't have any motivation to lash out if he thought there was no threat.

"Be honest," Cece continued, "If you had just met those girls, and hearing what you've heard about them, would you believe anything they said?"

For a moment, the fury on Wilden's face began to fade. His eyes narrowed as he thought about Cece's question. He sat back against his seat. "It's still a heavy rumor." He said in a less rough tone. "Even if people don't believe it, a rumor like that could be just as bad." "Yes, yes." Cece nodded, turning away, not feeling much of a threat, knowing how easy Wilden was to control when he was calm. "But it's still just a rumor. One that of course is not true."

"Are we sure?" Wilden asked and Cece almost froze up as she felt his intense stare, "Was that really just a rumor?" Cece turned around and laughed slightly, "Wilden, are you serious? You're asking _me_ if you slept with Alison? Wouldn't you know that?" Wilden shook his head, frustration crossing his face again, "No. Not that. Was Alison really pregnant?"

Cece was quite frankly very happy that she knew how to control her emotions, because had she not been able too, her mouth would have dropped open and panic would have filled her face. Instead, she forced her mouth to open and for a laugh of utter disbelief to leave her throat. "Pregnant? Oh dear lord, Wilden, no!" Cece all the while heard the chant in her mind, _keep Victoria and Julia safe, keep Victoria and Julia safe._

"Alison was never pregnant, dummy." Cece gave the words full of mirth out, trying to ignore her speeding heart, "She thought she was. It turns out she was wrong. She checked several times. All the times were negative. Besides, she had her period soon after." Wilden almost looked disappointed a moment before he said cautiously, "Then why did you not tell the girls that? Why did you stop at the part where you thought Alison was pregnant?"

This time, Cece's snort came easily. Boy, Wilden really was dumb. "To cause a better rumor, obviously. If you want me to shut up about it, fine. But really, we're not in high school, Darren. This will all pass over soon. That's really all I have to say about it." She crossed her arms over her chest cocking her head, smiling smugly, "Unless you can come up with some new reason to have me here. Huh? What, couldn't find a date?"

Wilden scowled. "Get out." Cece huffed, dropping her arms, "You can't be serious? Wilden, no wonder you're single. You drag a girl all the way out here and just leave her? You won't even have the decency to drop me off at where you picked me up? Well, aren't you a gentlemen? Aren't you worried I won't know my way back?"

Wilden just kept the scowl on his face and unlocked the doors. "Not my problem. And you know your way around." He grumbled, "You used to live here during high school and college. So don't feed me that." He then pointed roughly past Cece at the passenger door. Cece threw up her hands. "Fine. Grouch. I'll be leaving. I'll bill you in case my heels brake on the walk back." Cece grabbed her coffee which she had put in Wilden's cup holder and pushed her way out of the car, quickly dropping a small tracker device onto the floor, watching with amusement as the tracking device rolled under her seat, slamming the door behind her. The still sour cop glared at Cece the whole time while he was turning the wheel and angling the car around, driving back down the road. As soon as Wilden's car disappeared from sight, Cece breathed out a sigh of relief and started walking. Good thing Wilden hadn't noticed that she had dropped that tracking device into his car. She'd be able to track him as long as he used that car.

"That was really close!" A voice called from the reeds, almost making Cece jump, till she saw who popped up out of the plants and pushed her way out, reaching the road, skateboard under her arm. "Sam!" Cece laughed, "You scared me for a second." Sam smiled. "Sorry. But I'm guessing I didn't scare you as much as that creep did. You okay?" Cece nodded. "Yeah. He's just a bully blowing hot air. I'm sure it's fine." Sam looked back down the road, uneasy. "I'm not sure it's fine. He looked really pissed off." "Oh don't worry." Cece smirked, "Besides, I wasn't in any danger. My knight in shining armor was here to keep me safe." Sam blushed lightly, but smirked. "Spare me, Cece." The younger laughed. "Well, if it really was nothing, you'd better tell the others. I swear, Kira, Noel and Alison are about to go on the warpath." A note of guilt slid into the girl's voice.

Cece stared at Sam. "What do you mean?" She asked, blinking. Sam shrugged. "What do you think? Wilden grabbed you. Someone that's part of the A-Team. I figured you needed help. I told Shana. She couldn't come because Emily, Hanna and another girl went to the costume store to meet her. So Kira is coming and so are Noel and Ali. They know where we are." Cece sighed, trying to keep herself from groaning. "So a cavalry has been called just for me. I feel so special. And there's nothing to worry about. Well, I'm flattered, but as you can see, it's wasted energy. We better wait for them a bit."

Sam nodded, occasionally looking down the road for Noel's car. After a few minutes of Sam and Cece talking and joking a bit, there was the sound of tires rolling along the dusty road. They both looked to see a car driving up. "Oh good," Cece chuckled, "The Backup's here. How nice." The car drove up next to Cece and Sam, coming to a halt and a hooded figure stepped out, along with Noel from the driver's seat. Kira jumped out from the back, looking around. "Cece, you okay?" Noel called over, looking alert, as if ready for a fight. Cece found a chuckle leaving her throat as Alison took off her mask. "My heroes. But don't worry. The dragon's left. He was just blowing hot air. Getting all worked up because of that rumor I spilled. He'll get over it."

Despite the older girl's reassurance, Alison lunged at Cece and hugged the older around the waist, pressing her head against the other's chest as Cece rested a gentle hand over Alison's mane. "Ali." Cece said in a soothing voice. "You're okay?" Alison said, looking up at her sister in worry. "Yeah, of course I'm okay." Cece promised, leaning in and kissing Alison's forehead. "Wilden's a wimp. He could never scare me." Cece's warm affectionate smile then was aimed at Sam, "Besides, I had a protector while I was here." Sam smirked. "Any one of us would have done it. It was nothing." Alison turned to Sam, smiling. "Shush, Sam. It was brave." The younger blonde stared back up at Cece's eyes. "Does he suspect anything at all? I mean besides me possibly being pregnant?" Cece shook her head, knowing what Alison was implying. Ali didn't want to say their names if someone was listening, but Alison was asking if Wilden knew that he had two biological children out there. Cece grinned, "Ali, do you really think I'd let him know _that?_ Please."

Alison breathed out in relief and looked back at the road and sighed, "We should probably head out of here before people see us."

"Right." Cece said as she and Alison parted. "Did Wilden see you guys while you were driving up here?"

"Nah," Noel said grinning, "We saw him first and hid behind some construction pipes. I drove out after he past us. He doesn't have a clue we're here." Cece nodded, hoping that was true. "Noel, can you drop me off at the boutique? Sam, are you going back to the Brew?" Sam shook her head. "No. It'll be too suspicious if I do. I already gave a bullshit story to the owner." "Okay," Alison seemed to think for a second, "Noel I assume you can just head to class, right?" The teenager nodded, "Yep. They're used to me missing class anyway. I'll drop you guys off wherever first, then I'll head back."

"Well, I guess drive me back to the costume shop." Kira said hastily, "Shana bought me a lot of time, but I need to get back."

"Right." Noel nodded, "Will do." As they walked to the car, Alison looked at Cece. "Cece, I don't think you should be here anymore. This town is getting too dangerous for you. Wilden might hurt you."

Cece smiled, trying not to wince at Alison's fear. Cece's hand not holding her coffee went to Ali's hand and squeezed it. "It'll be okay, Ali. Wilden will need a lot more than his wimpy spine to do anything to me." Alison still looked concerned, but said nothing as they headed to the car. This time, Alison went in the back seat with Cece, leaning her head against the older girl's shoulder. Cece pushed some hair out of Alison's face, laying the back of her right hand against the girl's forehead caringly. Kira sat down on the other side of the passenger seat, sharing a smile with Cece.

Sam dropped into the front seat next to Noel as he started up the car again. Noel drived around the parking lot and started down the road.

 **(Page break)**

Duncan dropped some orange juice into the glass, bringing it over to Patrick. The boy happily took it, smiling up at his brother. Jack was drawing on the carpet, on his stomach, a red crayon in his hand. Sitting behind the boy was his grandmother, Carla Grunwald, knitting. For a blind woman, Carla was immaculate at knitting. She held up the blue and purple wool up as she knitted, feeling around the various holes. As Jack started coloring in another Batman cape, grabbing the black crayon, jolts like a hundred sparks of electricity hit him, making him freeze, dropping the crayon, eyes becoming glazed.

"Uh…." He mumbled, "Uh…" He shook. His grandmother heard the noise and lifted her head, getting up from her seat and putting the needles and yarn down. "Jack?" She called out, making both Patrick and Duncan turn to the scene.

Jack shook mumbling, "Blood…streets…blades…"

Jack could only shake as Duncan ran over and turned the boy over on his back, propping the boy's head up with his hand. Jack still was shaking, vision hitting him.

 _Laughter filled the air. Towers of dark, thick grey smoke floated up in the sky. Screams were heard in every inch of the town. People ran, crying out. Fire climbed up the wooden walls of houses, smoke exited the houses' windows._

 _Bodies were strewn across the road, blood puddles beneath them. There were slashes all over many of them. Several of the bodies were police officers. Their limbs were hacked off._

 _A figure wearing all black came marching down the road, bearing a gun of some kind Jack had never seen before. It was long and big. Jack didn't recognize the weapon. But he recognized the man holding it. It was Wolfgang._

 _Wolfgang turned and pulled up his gun, aiming at a house. He fired. A large missile was released, blowing the house up._

 _Three people danced across the road, all throwing their heads up giggling and laughing. All of them wearing strange garbs. Ones that looked like hospital gowns. One of them was hold a knife._

 _Cyrus appeared, wielding a hunting knife, blood caked over the blade. His eyes were dark and colder than Jack had ever seen them._

 _There were more screams, this time from a young man with dark hair. The man was wearing a black hoodie, but was in no position to be threatening. A long, slender, silver sword was being pulled out from his stomach. The one wielding the sword turned, revealing a long, ebony curtain of hair and a beautiful, pale face that Jack recognized. It was Miyako._

 _There were gunshots being fired and suddenly both Will and Gabe came onto the scene, bearing firearms, shooting at several people wearing black hoodies, running from them. There were more screams. Coming from officers, whose legs were being broke by a wildly kicking and punching Sun. Behind Sun, two more figures stood with bloody katanas. These two women behind Sun were Takara and Natsuko._

 _A woman screamed as she was thrown to the road. A person in a black hoodie stood towering over the woman, a knife in her hand. Blonde hair flowed out of the hood. The figure was wearing no mask._

 _The face of the figure with the hoodie, bearing the knife, was Cece._

 _Cece gave a cold smile to the woman before she leaned forward, jamming the knife into the screaming woman. Next to Cece was Natalie. Long, red hair, brighter than the fire billowing around her flying in the wind. A cold grin stretched across her face, hand bearing a gleaming knife as she lunged at two girls, identical twin girls with long black hair and dark skin. Natalie slashed at one of the girl's throats, splitting it open, blood spurting out. "Cindy!" The other girl cried, staring in horror at the dying twin._

 _Walking along, closing in on the scene were two more people in black hoodies. One pulled their black mask off, the other didn't have a mask. The one without her mask watched the carnage with almost no emotion on her face. She looked broken almost. There was brown hair hidden in her hood and Jack realized he recognized this girl too. It was that girl in Alison's photo. Spencer Hastings._

 _The one who took the mask off-it was Alison's face…only it wasn't. There was lighter blonde hair than Alison's, and there was a scar going down this girl's face. The girl that looked almost like Alison had a huge grin that spread across her crazed face and threw her head back and let out an ear splitting cackle, letting it loose into the fiery night air._

Jack gasped as he wrenched himself up, vision gone, looking around the room at his terrified grandmother, parents, Duncan and Patrick. He felt slobber all over his face and almost glared at Zoomy who was licking his face and hair, trying to see if the boy was okay. "Easy, Zoomy." Jack grumbled, pushing the bloodhound away, "Easy." "Jack!" Margaret, Jack's mother cried, picking the boy up and holding him close, "What did you see? What happened?"

Jack bit his lip. What exactly had he seen?

The boy looked at the puddle next to him. It smelled disgusting. All yellow and white. Jack, tasted something awful around his mouth. He gaped, wiping away the substance. He had gotten sick at the sight of what he had seen. Covering his mouth, wincing into his parents' grasp.

It had been all blurry and there had been screams. Duncan spoke up, holding a notebook from Jack's pile up, with writing all over it, "I wrote it down, what you were saying, Jack." Duncan turned the pages for Jack to see. Jack shivered. Though he didn't remember what he had seen, what Duncan wrote down seemed to fit.

The writing was, _"Blood. Screaming. Blades. Fire. Bodies. Death. Wolfgang. Miyako. Will. Gabe. Sun. Takara. Natsuko. Destroying. Slaughter. The town, destroyed. Spencer. Cece. Cyrus. Twins. Natalie. Black hoodie. Alison's twin, laughing."_

Jack grew pale. He had saw and said all that and didn't even remember. He shivered. "The town in Jack's vision." Vincent, Jack's father said, looking at Duncan and his mother-in-law, "Is it possible he was talking about this town?" There was nervousness in his voice. "No way." Duncan said, shaking his head, "If Jack saw Wolfgang and the others destroying a town, it wouldn't be one where we're staying. No…that town, that town had to be Rosewood." Patrick looked at Jack. "Everyone's going to attack Rosewood?" "We don't know that for sure yet." Margaret shushed the boy. "We don't know that." Even as she said it, her voice sounded hollow. When Jack had a vision, it tended to come true. No matter how terrible.

Jack looked at the wall, not wanting to think about what he had seen. His heart beat wildly. He was shaking. He had never seen anything like that. Nothing that horrifying. Wolfgang, Cyrus, Gabe, Will, Miayko and her sisters. Committing a massacre. Natalie, Wolfgang and Miyako and her sisters wasn't that big of a surprise to Jack. Despite his age, he knew what they were capable of. But the others? Gabe? Cyrus and Will? And Cece and Spencer. Both with a black hoodie? How had _that_ happened? And that girl that looked almost exactly like Alison, laughing at the scene.

Jack's blood chilled. He could say what he had seen. He just couldn't. What could possibly end up being the reason for Cece betraying them? But Jack held his tongue. Everyone had been in questionable character in that vision. But how would it end up happening?

 **(Page break)**

Noel drove up to the back of the costume store. "Okay, Kira." He called to the girl right behind him, "Your stop! Tell Shana we said hi." Kira nodded. "Will do that." "Yes," Cece said, smiling at Kira "And thank her for me for the help being sent in, even though I'm fine."

Kira nodded, getting out. "Yep." She bolted quickly into the shop, planning her story to the costume shop's owner as Sam, Noel, Cece and Alison waved her off.

She got in and slipped through the back, seeing Shana. Shana looked up from the costumes she was hanging up and noticed the girl that just entered the shop, smiling. "Hey, Kira." She said. She looked around the store and shifted closer. "Cece?" She whispered. "She's fine." Kira whispered, coming over, glancing over to make sure the cameras were out of sight, "Wilden left her alone when we came in. She asked me to say thank you but that was about it." Shana nodded. "She's fine." At Kira's nod, relief flooded Shana and she smiled. "Thanks, Kira. That's good to know. Now let's get back to work before people ask questions."

 **(Page break)**

Noel drove up to the boutique, and Cece got out on her side, not wanting to risk Alison getting out on her own side and being possibly seen. "Cece." Alison emphasized, "It's getting too dangerous for you to be here. Please get out of town, fast." Seeing the desperation in Alison's eyes, Cece almost folded. She hated seeing Alison in this much pain, having to bear this much anxiety. "It'll be okay, sweetie." She promised the younger, "Besides, I put a tracker in his car." Alison was startled by this, earning a smile from the older girl. "See?" Cece said, grinning, "I'm way smarter than Wilden." Alison looked up at Cece through the backseat, keeping her face hidden beneath the side of the hoodie. "But are you smarter than –A? And what happens if Wilden figures out you put that tracker in his car?" The younger asked, making Cece hesitate. The other woman smiled, "We'll see. I swear I'll let you know if anything else happens." Cece met Alison's intense eyes. "Trust me, okay?"

Alison tried not to let any panic well up at the thought of anything happening to Cece, and somehow managed a nod. Cece smiled. "It'll be okay." Almost unable to move, Cece slowly closed the door, separating her and Ali. Cece looked at Noel. Noel put down his window, realizing that Cece wanted to talk to him. "Take care of her." Cece told the boy, "Just take care of Ali, okay?" Noel nodded, looking around, checking if they were being watched. They weren't. He put up the window as Cece turned and walked inside the boutique, all the while hoping to herself that Wilden would back off. For Alison's and for Victoria's and Julia's sake as well as for her own.

The car drove off, Noel occasionally glancing up at the mirror to see Alison and glanced every now and then at Sam. "So where do I take the two of you?" "To the Eastern side of the town to that bigger warehouse." Alison said without hesitation, any sign of her previous fear and anxiety nonexistent. "I need to hide this video and the things we heard at Radley, soon." Alison nodded to the screen she had that had recorded Noel's time asking questions in the facility. Noel nodded. "Good idea." He agreed. "Wait," Sam said, sitting up. "Radley…that's the mental institute, right?" The girl's brown eyes shined with curiosity and unease. "How bad was it? I mean, was it really as bad as I've heard it is?"

Noel tensed a bit. "Not exactly. They treat some of the patients well. At least it looked like it when I was there. I don't know how they treat patients on the third floor." Sam looked at the boy, confused. "The third floor?" She echoed. "Yeah." Alison said, leaning back against the seat, looking out the window. "The third floor might just be where my sister Courtney was kept."

"There was this room," Alison continued, mind drawn back into the dark depths of that cell, "Where I think Courtney was locked up. There were scratches. Scratches all over the walls. It looked like a big cat had been in there instead of a human being." Alison felt numb. That wasn't any living place for anyone. Why had her sister been put there? Why at such a young age? "Yikes." Sam whispered and Alison knew that there was no sarcasm meant when the girl spoke again. "Sorry." Alison shrugged. "It's okay. It's not your fault." Alison narrowed her eyes, "If it's anyone's fault, it's probably Kenneth's and Jessica's faults."

Why had their biological parents felt the need to lock Courtney up? Just what had Courtney done to indicate that she was mentally ill, if anything? Alison just sighed. "We'll figure out what to do later. But I'll feel better when I drop all this stuff off at the warehouse." "Understood." Noel chuckled, though it sounded rather forced.

Sam looked down at her lap when she heard a vibration. She dug into her pocket and looked at her text. "Oh." Sam said, "It's from Zach. He's asking me to cover the night shift after I'm done with homework." "Damn." Alison said, "Does it say what time?" "Yeah." Sam said, glowering at the phone. "At about 8. I guess I'll head over later." Sam looked over the seat at Alison. "At least that gives me a few hours to finally hang out with you." Alison smiled at the other girl, feeling uplifted by Sam's bright smile. Sam's joy could light up a room. It was hard to believe the girl had grown up in an orphanage. If someone had told you that Sam was raised in an abusive orphanage, it was likely that you wouldn't believe it. The girl was so happy and energetic. But Alison knew there was a lot of pain the girl was hiding.

Noel dropped by the warehouse, recognizing it quickly and said his goodbyes to Sam and Alison. Before he drove off, he added, "I just want to tell you," He looked around just in case, "I'm meeting Eddie Lamb at 7." At Sam and Alison's startled looks, he continued, "He might tell me something useful. At least I'm hoping. That's why I need to see him at that time." Alison looked wary when she heard this. "Don't meet him alone, Noel." Alison urged, "At least take one of us with you." Noel shook his head. "We'll see. But I'm sure I'll be okay. I'll tell you if anything happens." He saw the look of anxiety pass over his sister's face before smiling. "Promise, I will. Take care of yourselves." Alison sighed, not convinced. "You too." She grumbled, knowing there wasn't much more she could do. "Take care, bro." Sam said, smiling. Noel grinned at her and started driving. He drove off then, going through a somewhat obscure root towards the school.

Sam grabbed some of the other communication links and some of the small camera equipment that Noel had been able to conceal under his jacket and in his pockets and carried it to Alison. The two quickly went to the door, hidden from view by tree branches. Alison unlocked the door and they both slipped inside, turning the lights on and locking the door behind them. Alison moved over to a table bolted to the wall, putting all of the equipment down on it. Sam looked around the warehouse, propping her skateboard up against the wall. The white paint all over the walls was beginning to chip off. There were a few outlets with three light bulbs at the most screwed into them in each pack of light sources. Sam had seen a lot of Alison's hideaways, and none as small as this one. Not even some of the tiny apartments that Alison hid in at Manhattan. The only sign of livable life were some boxes where Sam assumed food was, and a few sleeping bags stacked on top of each other against the wall. All together, the household item and the sleeping bags took up most of the room in the warehouse.

"When did you find _this_ dump?" Sam said it in a joking tone, with a grin on her face, knowing Alison would pick up the humor. Alison shrugged. "I hid here for a while when –A first started stalking me. It was a more obscure place that was I was sure they didn't know about. So far I haven't seen any sign of –A breaking in ever. So either none of the A-Team knows about this place, or it hasn't caught their interest yet. As I'm sure you've already guessed, the boxes and sleeping bags were moved here by our group."

Sam nodded. She had expected as much. Eventually, the two dropped on the sleeping bags, leaning against its cushioning, separating their backs from the thick wall. "I swear," Sam grumbled, looking at Ali with utter mirth across her face. "This town could call itself 'Stepford' and I don't think anyone would be able to tell the difference." Alison snorted, pulling the screen of the camera she and Noel had used up to her stomach. "Well, I think anyone would come to that conclusion." She smirked at Sam. "Although, you've seemed to fit in pretty well in Rosewood." Sam rolled her eyes flipping her left middle finger at the blonde. "Bite me. It was just a coffee shop. Wonder how long it'll be before we see something like a frigging pie eating contest." Alison chuckled. "No, that's in November, during Thanksgiving. That's in like a month. But maybe you'll see our annual paint drying contest."

Sam giggled slightly and Alison grinned. She looked at Alison who was turning the TV on. "There are times I find it hard to believe that you're from here." Sam said. Ali lifted an eye at Sam. "How's that?" The other girl asked. Sam shrugged. "Because it's just not you. This place is weird. Creepy almost. It's like it pretends it's a beautiful place, but we know about the maggots hiding around inside it." Alison smiled ruefully. Sam had just described Rosewood perfectly. Pretty face. Corrupt inside. Like how she used to be.

"That's Rosewood to a T." Alison said shrugging, "Unfortunately."

"It's kind of sad." Sam said, looking at the wall where the stove was, "They have everything at their fingertips. Money. Power. Land. I'm guessing allies too. They can't be happy with that? They just have to enjoy their life and leave other people alone." Alison cocked her head at her sister. "That's the problem. It's _too_ easy. They can have the world if they want. And they know they'll get away with it. That's why there's so much crime here." Alison added, still smirking, "Besides, it's not like we haven't run into criminals that aren't rich and don't live in beautiful neighborhoods."

Sam chuckled. "That's true. So what was it like living here?" Alison smiled sadly, pushing her black hood back, letting her hair fall out, putting her mask down on the floor. "Like living in a morbid dream. It's not quite a nightmare, because everything is so beautiful and warm. It can almost pass for a good dream. But underneath it, it just feels wrong." Alison smiled sadly as she started rewinding the video. "In one word, I can sum it up. Suffocating."

She felt Sam's horrified stare, but only looked at the other girl. "You shouldn't be so upset about my upbringing. Yours wasn't too good either." Sam looked surprised a moment before grinning. "What, me? Nah, I'm great. Nothing can faze me."

At Alison's calm, _you can't fool me_ look, the strength in Sam's smile started wavering. She just gave a small, gentle smile, leaning her head against Ali's shoulder. "It….it was awful. It _was,_ but I think I always knew no one in that place cared about me. At least it wasn't my own biological family. At least none of the people at the orphanage really believed I'd ever be adopted. So they didn't constantly expect me to be perfect all the time." Alison shook her head, heart hurting for the other girl. "That's not small or nothing, Sam. It's not. That's child abuse. Neglect. Emotional abuse. Emotional abuse instead of physical abuse doesn't mean that it's not still abuse. I'm afraid I'm very familiar with that. No one should treat anyone like that, much less a child."

She leaned forward and kissed Sam's forehead, putting down the camera and screen when she saw tears start to leak from Sam's eyes and she wrapped her arms around her sister.

 **(Page break)**

Setting up two of the bracelets on the shelf, Cece checked over at one of the managers talking. She had thankfully given a big bullshit story to the owner of the store, who miraculously had believed it. Still, she remembered what Alison had implored of her. She had to wonder, was Ali right? Cece frowned. Well, right or not, she was not leaving this town without the others, especially Alison. She was not going to leave this place without her sister. No matter how much Alison insisted, there had to be a way of getting Alison out of here safe and making sure the other girls were safe too.

 _Without there being a bloodbath?_

Cece's right arm almost stiffened halfway through putting a coat up on a rack at that thought. That was a good question. –A had manipulated things so thoroughly that it seemed like no one would help the girls. The society of Rosewood was against the girls, and against the Redcoat group. Cece pushed the thought out of her mind, but she knew that they might really need to bring in reinforcements.

And it wasn't going to be pretty.

 **(Page break)**

After Sam and Alison had snuggled till they both felt like they could get up and face everything, they both sat up, barely parting from each other's embrace, Alison's hoodie stained with tears, but the color barely visible given the color of the material. "You okay, sweetie?" Alison asked Sam, laying another kiss against the girl's brown hair. Sam nodded. "It's okay." The other girl said quietly. "Let's just watch the video. Might as well learn whatever I can about Radley."

"Right." Alison said, "From one fucked up institute to another." Sam let out a small laugh as Alison picked up the TV screen and laid it down on her lap, starting to play it from the beginning. Sam reacted the way Alison suspected she would. At Noel's flirtations, Sam almost died of laughter. "Noel." The dark-skinned girl cackled, all of her tears and sadness seeming to be gone, "What a whore." "Oh shush." Alison smirked, "Nothing wrong with being flirtatious. He hasn't done anything yet. He'd never cheat on Jenna." "Well, I'm not sure if we can see that as a good thing." Sam mumbled, earning a slight glance form Alison. Sam didn't know much about Jenna. The most she knew was that Jenna was part of the A-Team, that she had been in a relationship with Garret beforehand, and that she was blind because of Alison.

When Alison had told Sam that last part two months ago, she had been surprised by Sam's reaction. The girl didn't respond with disgust or hate or anything. Sam had just seemed sad. Probably better than Kira's reaction. Kira had laughed when she found out. The less Alison knew about Kira's reasons for laughing, the blonde suspected the better.

When the video led up to cell 317, Sam leaned forward. "That's the important cell, right?" The girl asked, looking at Alison, looking apprehensive. Alison nodded. "Yeah. Maybe. If we're right, that's the cell my sister was kept in." "Oh shit." Sam mumbled. "Yeah." Alison agreed, "Now check what it looks like inside."

Sam turned back to the screen, seeing all the scratch marks on the walls. Deep scratches. "Yikes." Sam whispered, "You weren't kidding about the scratches. Are we sure a person was in that room?" Alison laughed hollowly. "I really don't know anymore." As Noel seemed to have moved the camera a bit to turn it, something about the door lever of the cell caught Alison's attention. It looked different from the other levers.

"Wait a second." Alison said, pressing the rewind button, "Hold it just a second." "What is it?" Sam asked, confused. "The handle." Alison said, staring at the screen, "Of the door. It looks different from the other handles."

Sam shrugged. "Maybe it was built in another time from the other doors on that floor." "No, not that." Alison said, "It's all bent and misshapen. I mean, if the previous owners of the place had a thing for wrecked door handles, sure, but I doubt it." Alison rewound to the hallway where all the other door handles could be shown. "There." Alison said, pointing to the doors. "Look at the handles. They all look the same. Now look at the door handle of cell 317." Sam scooted closer, looking down at the handle. Her eyes widened. "Wait, you're right." She whispered. "Holy crap. What happened to that door handle?"

Alison hadn't noticed before, because Noel had showed her Eddie Lamb on the screen, and the door of the cell was opened, but now, now that she could pause the video and get a good look at the handle of the door, she could see that it was horribly destroyed. "It looks like maybe there was an explosion that was near it. Or someone attached an explosion to the handle."

"Well, you know what that probably means, right?" Sam asked nervously, turning to her sister, and Alison already suspected it. "That might mean that your sister wasn't able to get out of Radley on her own. Maybe she had help getting out."

Alison's stomach fell. The person that was hiding Courtney. Was that who had broken the girl out of that cell? She looked back at the video, after a few moments, the camera catching Wren Kingston's face, making Sam sit back, startled. "Maybe it was Wren." Alison said, "The guy pops up everywhere. He might have released her to get Spencer."

Sam looked pale. "That's a possibility." Sam clearly was having a hard time wrapping her brain around all of this. Alison couldn't blame the girl at all.

"I really hope Noel gets answers from Eddie Lamb fast." Alison mumbled. "What's the time now?" She asked Sam. Sam checked her phone. "About 6:30. I should probably get ready for my shift." Alison nodded. "Yeah. I'll walk you over there."

After a few minutes, the equipment was hidden in the shed, but the tapes were removed and stuffed in Alison's pockets and the two girls left, locking up.

 **(Page break)**

A few more hours past by, when Cece occasionally took her break and looked into her bag, checking the small radar she kept. Wilden would always remain at the station. The one time Wilden's little dot moved, it was when he went to some restaurant or something. Then he'd return to the station. Finally, when the time neared 7, Cece checked the radar again. Wilden was moving. She almost dropped the radar when she saw him heading off to a strange location that would be the woods. She narrowed her eyes. Damn. That wasn't good.

She packed up, quickly told the manager she was heading out and moved out quickly. Finding her car, she opened the trunk and got her duffel bag with her Redcoat gear and tossed it into the backseat, starting the car up and driving off. She followed the radar to a part of the woods. Thankfully, there were a few sheds with kayaks inside. She parked the car right alongside them, noting there were no cameras around. She got out, grabbed the bag, ducked into one of the sheds and changed. Now all suited up as Redcoat, she hid her hair under the hood, and had her face covered with a disturbing white mask, she locked the car up and grabbed the radar, checking the screen. Wilden was a couple of miles away.

 **(Page break)**

After they departed, Alison assuring the worried Sam that she'd check with Noel to make sure he wasn't stepping into a trap and the blonde had descended back into darkness, Sam had walked in, pretending everything was fine and did as Zach said, drying and arranging cups. About ten or twenty minutes later, Sam moved some more croissants over to the platter, hearing the door behind her open. She turned to see if there were more customers, only to almost drop the platter in her hands when she saw Spencer Hastings come in through the door. Sam immediately tried to be as discreet as possible. Or at least as discreet as someone like her could manage. She kept her face towards the croissants, even though her brown eyes kept jumping to the brunette who sat down one of the sofas of the café.

Spencer seemed to be reading something. For Sam, it was really strange to see this girl in person. She had seen the pictures Alison kept of Spencer. Had seen some of the videos that they had recorded of the girls in their adventures against –A, but to see the supposedly brilliant girl in person like this was almost surreal for Sam. She moved a few pastries to the back on a shelf, looking between the shelves at the seated teenager.

As she tried to think of what to do next, the sound of the door opening caught her attention and she froze when she saw who it was. Wren Kingston. Sam gaped. Like Spencer, she had never met the man in person. She had only seen pictures of him. Seen recorded videos of him. But that was about it. The video she had seen of Wren at Radley remained fresh in Sam's mind, and she kept her astounded eyes on him as he walked over to where Spencer sat. Sam felt her skin crawl, watching them talk together, Spencer actually treating him with a friendly face. The girl shuddered slightly and kept watch on them. She wasn't going to alert Alison yet. Not unless Wren tried to get Spencer alone.

 **(Page break)**

Noel kept occasionally letting his eyes travel to different parts of the road and sidewalk. No one was around. No one seemed to be following his movements. He didn't see anyone behind him. He slinked along till he reached the restaurant. He got onto Chester Street, checking around the woods, waiting. He wondered, was this going to be like all the other times he and the others thought they had a lead? Was Eddie not gonna show up? Or was this a trap? Or did he work for –A? Just as Noel's thoughts started going towards an uneasy are of his mind, there was the sound of boots moving to his right.

He turned, almost expecting to see a figure in a black hoodie with a black mask, ready to pounce, but what he saw instead was a redcoat with a white mask. Noel stepped back, startled. "Who-" He started cautiously, body tense. "Easy, Noel." Alison's voice came from behind the mask, blue eyes glittering with humor, "It's just me." Noel smiled, making his body relax. Of course it was Ali. Still, considering how many steps –A always was ahead of them, it wouldn't surprise him if it ended up having been an ambush of some kind.

"Ali," Noel started, chuckling, "You shouldn't be here. What if someone sees you? Go, I'll bring you the information later." He could see the hesitation in the girl's eyes and winced. He knew she hated feeling useless. "I'll meet you later." He swore, smiling at her protectiveness, "Promise. If you don't see me in an hour, come look for me." Alison snorted. "An hour, right. I'm not concerned by that at all." Alison sighed. "Alright. But take this just to make sure." Alison reached into her coat pocket and produced a small revolver in a gloved hand. Noel nodded, pulling out his own gloves and putting them on, taking the revolver and putting it in his belt. It was a really good thing that all their weapons were stolen. Otherwise just about anyone could track the weapons back the ones using them.

"Just be careful, okay, brother?" Alison said, eyes meeting Noel's. At Noel's nod, Alison waited another second before adding, "If anything happens to you and you somehow survive, I'm not the only one that's going to kill you, Sam will too." Noel couldn't keep his laughter under control. As he smirked, Alison jumped a moment, reaching into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She checked what Noel assumed was a text and though Noel couldn't see her face, he saw her whole frame shifting slightly.

"Ali?" He asked, worried.

"It's Spencer." Alison said, looking up at Noel, concern in those blue eyes, "Wren's with her. Sam texted and told me they just left the café together. I'm going to go check on Spencer."

Noel's throat went dry. He thought for a second about cancelling his meeting with Eddie, but his considerations were obvious, as Alison shook her head. "No, Noel. If you can find out anything at all about who was in that cell at Radley, do it. I'm going to go make sure Spencer's alright. But stay near Eddie. Have your phone on if anything happens."

Noel hesitated but nodded again. He didn't like this at all. But he saw what Alison was saying. He needed to get as much information at all.

Alison melted back into the woods, keeping her eyes on her brother's apprehensive ones. Noel turned and scanned the area around him, till he finally saw Eddie Lamb approaching, trying to ignore the nervousness gnawing at the back of his head, thinking about Alison, Spencer and Wren.

Noel turned, making himself fully at attention, keeping his gloved hands in his pocket so Eddie didn't suspect him of anything. As soon as Eddie reached him, the glowing sign of the restaurant illuminating both their faces, Noel could read the regret of coming here all over the other man's face. "You do not look happy to be here, my friend." Noel offered in starting, smiling jokingly, still trying to block out the rest of his thoughts. Eddie huffed. "You have no idea. I destroyed the paper by the way. So, you wanted to know about Jessica DiLaurentis and the patient in cell 317?"

Noel nodded. "Yep, I certainly do." Oh boy, he was really hoping that this wasn't a false lead like all the other times.

A grim smile from Eddie was given to Noel in response. "You might as well ask if the devil herself was in that cell. And I'd tell you, yes, she was."

 **(Page break)**

Alison kept her head low, though she knew that that wouldn't do much good when you were wearing a jacket that was brighter than a blazing fire with a haunting porcelain mask on. She filed her way down the road, siding up next to a cement set of stairs, looking at the approaching couple. Sam hadn't been kidding. Wren and Spencer were on their way. She had texted to Sam to stay where she was, or head to the warehouse and stay there, but not to follow. She started walking out, masked face kept low, body clasped in the bright red garb and watched as Wren began to lean in to kiss Spencer. Alison's teeth clenched, almost grinning when the man pulled away. It must have been because of the look on Spencer's face. Good. Spencer wouldn't-

Her reassurance flew off when Spencer leapt close and locked her lips with Wren's fiercely. Alison froze, staring. Spencer. Was. Kissing. Wren. Cold ice flooded her body. She just couldn't stop watching. It was like finding Spencer's Radley file all over again. The man that may very well have molested Spencer while she was in Radley, who likely became obsessed with her and tracked her down, was kissing Spencer. What was even worse was that the brunette had initiated the kiss and still wasn't letting up. It felt like someone had punched her in the gut. She stepped back. Her intimidating physical attire of her gleaming red coat, and the disturbing porcelain face could fool anyone, if only she had held her ground. She just couldn't stop staring. Like watching a train wreck.

The two, kissing almost passionately, made Alison need to turn away. She had to. She couldn't keep watching this. Rage, pain, agony. They all fought inside her. The need to run over there and pull Spencer away from Wren, keep her safe from the bastard that was playing with her dear one's life and at the same time, the need break every bone in Wren's body clashed. She had to get out of there before she acted on one of these desires.

She walked away, keeping hesitant eye on the two. She had never held out much hope for her and Spencer's relationship. When she had found out about Toby being part of the A-Team, she hadn't felt any joy, just rage that he had hurt Spencer like that. But even after finding out, Alison never believed that she had a chance with Spencer, nor did she plan on trying. She decided she wouldn't try to take advantage like Wren was doing now. But she had least hoped that Spencer wouldn't end up in a relationship this soon with someone else, much less with this particular man.

It made Alison's stomach turn at the possibilities. She didn't want to think it, but it seemed, much like herself, four years ago, when she had been trapped in that situation with Garret, Ian, Darren and the other men of the NAT club, Spencer had a hard time being independent of a relationship. She didn't know how to cope when she wasn't in a relationship. Alison almost growled out as she moved, ducking behind cement stairways leading up to stores and brownstone apartments. This made things somewhat more complicated. She had always known that Spencer's life was hard and stressful. Their lives were very similar in some ways. Wealthy, hard-ass families that expected too much of their children. Expecting them to be perfect, to excel far more than teenagers should be expected to.

It was only natural that they both exhibited problems of some kind. In Spencer's case, it looked like she was doing incredibly irrational and reckless things that were completely unlike her. The thought made Alison shiver. What might the brunette do, should the poor girl go off the deep end? A flash of memory crossed Alison's mind as she remembered Spencer that night when they had been in the barn. Spencer had followed Alison outside and had been high. Spencer nearly hitting Alison with a shovel. Alison wasn't scared of Spencer. She could never be scared of Spencer. But she did fear _for_ the girl.

As Alison ducked behind an alleyway, keeping her masked face hidden from everyone, a jolt, like millions of bolts of lightning raced through her. She gasped, almost dropping down to her side on the ground, hand steadying herself against the alley's wall. Her stomach turned and something was nearly stabbing her mind.

"What the hell?" She groaned, trying to make sense of what was going on.

A hiss was sent through her mind, a voice that sounded eerily like her own voice, _"Kill him. Kill him. Kill Wren. He has what belongs to us. Kill him. Kill him for touching her."_

Rage, need, desire, jealousy and violence hit her hard. Emotions that she was very familiar with, but emotions that at that very moment, Alison knew were not her emotions flooded her. Someone else was here. In her mind.

 **(Page break)**

Okay, so according to the tracker, Wilden was close. Cece ducked through the trees, keeping her head low, peaking through the bushes. She wasn't sure how close she was till she heard Wilden's angry voice cutting through the air. "Keep Hanna quiet, or I will!" Cece's mouth dropped. The hell? Who was he threatening this time? She heard a car starting and the wheels screeching and the sound of something hitting the ground. Heart pounding, Cece ran faster, breaking out of the brush, seeing Wilden's car. In front of it was a fallen Darren Wilden. In front of him were tire marks. Cece's mouth dropped open. The hell? Had someone just run Wilden over? Cece neared cautiously. He wasn't moving. Wilden wasn't moving. She squinted her eyes, using the light of the headlights of Wilden's car to see. Wait. He was breathing. She could see his back going up and down. He was still alive.

She neared the car, noticing light coming from within the car, and not from the overhead lights in the ceiling of the vehicle. Cece cautiously went around the front car door, seeing a TV screen lodged into the drivers compartment. Her eyes widened and a slight smile came over her face. The police's camera. It hadn't recorded her presence at all because she wasn't in front of the camera, but it _had_ recorded who exactly had run Wilden over. Thankful again that she had black gloves on, keeping her fingerprints from being left, Cece leaned over and looked at the buttons. One had the usual symbol of rewind. She pressed it. It recorded backwards and she saw the car that must have hit Wilden. Cece almost gasped. Someone really had been stupid enough to hit a cop. She then remembered what she had heard Wilden say. "Shut Hanna up or I will!" Who exactly-? Was the person that had hit Wilden Caleb? Was that who it was? Did the little twerp even have a car?

She rewound more till she saw who had come out of the car and froze it just when the said person was going back into the car. Though she didn't see the face well, she found it hard to believe it was anyone else when she saw the shoes and the deep red hair. Ashley. Ashley Marin. Hanna's mother. Cece kept the screen paused on Ashley's image and stepped back from the screen. "Hanna's mom hit Wilden?" She asked, stunned, looking up at where Wilden still lay unconscious, unable to keep her words back, too shocked.

Before Cece even knew what was happening, a deep, chuckling masculine voice that she had never heard before reached her ears, "Yes, that _is_ interesting, isn't it?"

Gasping, Cece whirled around, going for the handle of her hunting knife and pulling it out, blade flashing in front of the black hooded figure in front of her. The figure, wearing a black hoodie, a black mask and black gloves, held their hands up in front of them. "Hey, whoa, don't kill me."

Cece kept her hunter knife in front of her. A masked, redcoat with a blade facing an A-Team member covered in black faced each other. The black hoodie clad figure slowly lowered their arms. "Will you let me take off my mask?" The voice asked, surprising Cece. "I'll show you who I am. Will that help you trust me a little more?" Cece almost dropped her hunter knife into the dirt. She didn't recognize that voice at all. And an A-Team member had never, not once offered to remove their mask. Not ever. She was sure she didn't recognize that voice, but the only logical explanation was that this was an ally.

The voice, a man's voice, didn't sound anything like Duncan or Cyrus. And though it was smooth like Noel's, Cece was sure it wasn't the black-haired trickster. Cece watched with caution, never taking her eyes off the masked face.

The right black-gloved hand went to the man's face, pulling off his black mask. Cece froze, heart speeding when the A-Team member's face was revealed. Even in the dark, Cece could tell that this was someone she had never met before. He was incredibly handsome. With gold bangs sticking out and calm, mirthful blue eyes. A shadow of a pale beard circled his beautiful chin and cheeks. "There." The man said, voice still pleasantly deep, "You've seen my face. You more or less know me. It's Cece, right? Cece Drake?"

Cautiously, Cece glanced over at the still grounded Wilden who was breathing but wasn't getting up anytime soon. She then looked back at the black hoodie covered man, not able to think clearly. This was like being stuck between a rock and hard place. The man fallen behind her was scum and deserved to be left here. Not to mention if she did anything, Hanna's mother might be exposed, and yet she had a new A-Team member here before her that she knew she had never met before. She would remember a face this pretty.

It occurred to Cece in that moment with an icy chill, that this man looked like Alison.

His cheeks. His chin. The small nose. His face almost looked exactly like Ali's.

She stared at the man who was now smiling in a friendly manner. "Who are you?" She asked, her mind suddenly coming to an unsettling conclusion about why he might look so much like Ali.

"Oh, sorry." The man chuckled, making Cece's insides feel like they were about to melt for a moment. "I completely forgot. I was hoping to speak to you. My name is Charles. Charles DiLaurentis. Nice to meet you."

 **So yeah, that happened. Charles is in this story. Yep, that is not a good. That is most definitely not a good.**

 **Awesome1: Yeah, I know. All those double standards. Men can get away with anything in this series, and as long as it's not the four main girls, if a girl pulls anything, especially if it's Alison, they can burn in hell. Yeah, and now things are getting a bit more hectic. Gulp.**

 **Guest: Ah yes. Thank you, actually. I'm glad that someone called me out for it. I know, I know. Really, I try not to, but there are a lot of characters for this that I created (not the sensates, obviously). I'm glad someone caught me though. I'll try to keep it in check, sorry. And thank you for mentioning it.**

 **Sorry if this chapter was confusing for anyone. Yeah, chopping everything up into different segments, loosing track of what's happening. Not fun.**


	25. What would you do for our sister?

**To answer anyone's questions, yes, Charles is in this, as well as Courtney. This is a very different Charles than the one that was in the TV show. I assure you. He's not quite the control freak he was in the show.**

 **And I certainly disagree with the way they made Charles in the 6x10. Yeah, let us never speak of that again. Ever. Marlene opens her deceitful mouth. I said let's never speak of it again! It was disrespectful to us as viewers AND to the LGBT community! Good day! Storms off.**

 **Chapter 25: What would _you_** **do for our sister?**

Alison groaned, trying to fight what felt like one thousand watts of electricity shooting through her mind. It was like someone was invading her skull. The growling girl's voice kept repeating. _"Kill him. Kill him. Why deny it? We both want to kill him for touching Spencer. Spencer is ours. Why are you struggling? You want to kill him as much as I do. Just one cut across his throat and it's over."_

Alison hissed, standing up fully. She didn't know if she could fend Courtney off, but she had to try. She mentally hissed back at the other girl, _"Spencer isn't ours. She's not yours and she's not mine. She belongs to no one but herself. I'll get Wren. But it won't be by murder. Remember that document I found in Radley on Wren? I can use that. Stop for a few minutes and let me get rid of him through blackmail. I don't want to kill him, yet. Think about Spencer. Please, sis."_

Alison knew it was a slim shot, but if it really was Courtney in her head, which she was more than sure it was, and the younger girl really was acting like she cared about Spencer, then this might be the only way to calm her twin down. Alison waited for what felt like thirty tense minutes, when the jolting intensity that had invaded her body and mind, began to ebb away.

Alison managed to get a good balance on her feet as she started walking weakly out of the alley, noticing where Spencer and Wren were now walking, trailing them slowly. She had to keep a watch on them. She shivered at what had just happened. She had just had an incredible close encounter of the mental kind with Courtney. And the girl that had entered her mind apparently listened to reason. Yeah. That was weird.

Alison looked over her shoulder at the backpack strapped to her back. It was still there. She could still feel the shape of the document that was on a young Spencer strapped to her back. She breathed out in relief. Thank goodness. Spencer's Radley file hadn't fallen off.

Alison thought about what Courtney had said. Something else that disturbed her. Courtney had said that Spencer was _theirs_? Oh boy, Alison was really hoping that didn't mean Courtney saw Spencer the way she thought Courtney saw the brainiac. Alison kept thinking about the document she had found on Wren at Radley, hoping that using it at some point would keep her psychotic twin at bay.

Spencer turned to Wren and gave him a sweet smile, making bile rise up in Alison's throat. At Wren smiling back, Alison felt her fingers clench into her gloved palms. Wren was a monster. He was too dangerous for anyone, let alone Spencer. Never mind Courtney. Maybe the Radley file on Wren was the only thing keeping _herself_ from charging at the doctor and ripping his throat out.

When she watched them say their goodnights, Wren thankfully finally leaving Spencer and turning away, walking off, Alison felt a huge relieved grin on her face that she almost didn't have time to process that Spencer was turning in her direction till she felt the brunette's eyes on her.

Alison's heart sped up when Spencer was now looking at her, stunned. Alison froze, turning quickly around and walking around the staircases. Shit. She had to move now, unless she wanted Spencer to see her.

Well, the brunette had already seen her. And Alison _was_ stalking the other girl. So yes, maybe she was guilty of whatever Spencer might accuse her of. Except being –A. That was really the only thing that she'd never admit to. She hid behind some of the staircases, seeing Spencer walk up to the sidewalk and look down the street, not seeing the redcoat covered, masked figure. Spencer let out a disbelieving sigh and turned away, walking off.

Alison let loose another relieved smile. A strained smile, though. She had to start explaining what was going on to Spencer. She had to. If anyone deserved answers, it was her. But where did she start?

 **(Page break)**

Well, this kind of was unexpected. Cece wasn't sure how to formulate words right now. There was someone, more than likely from the A-Team in front of her, who had just taken off their mask and hood and revealed themselves. And he called himself Charles DiLaurentis. How exactly was she supposed to make sense of this?

"I…how?" She mumbled, "How do I know you're not lying?" The handsome devil with the face of an angel leaned back against a tree that was directly behind him. "Well, lying would be the normal thing for someone like me, wouldn't it?" The man asked, "It's quite normal for my family. But let's not worry about my lies, shall we? Right now, we need to cover up Mrs. Marin's sins." He nodded to the prone man behind Cece and in front of Wilden's car. Cece kept her eyes on "Charles." What the hell did she do? Who knew how deeply involved this guy was. She couldn't turn her back on him for even a second. But if Ashley Marin's crime here was discovered, Hanna could lose her mother to jail forever.

And Cece certainly wasn't going to judge anyone when it came to killing a cop. After all, hadn't she, only a month ago, been responsible for Garret Reynolds's death? But they had to keep Hanna and her mother safe. She hesitated. "You're going to help me hide what Mrs. Marin did?" Cece asked carefully, not sure she believed what she was asking.

Charles shrugged. "Absolutely. Why would I lie about that? What does revealing that Mrs. Marin ran Wilden over benefit me? It might benefit the rest of the team I work in, but it won't benefit _me_." Cece blinked, stunned. "I thought you worked with the A-Team." Was all she could say right now. Charles nodded. "Work with. Not for."

"How do I know I can trust you?" Cece asked, carefully, not once taking her eyes off this man. Charles shrugged. "You don't. But I promise you, I'll be of great help to you. I know the A-Team. I can give you names that you didn't know previously." A sly smile made its way onto Charles's face that sent an unsettled chill through Cece at how much it made him look like Ali.

"And besides," The amused man continued, "I can give you more than that. Remember the NAT videos? There are more that you don't know about. I found a bunch of them that Melissa, Mona and Wren don't even know about. Ones that the other NAT members made while Jason was busy taking his…..ahem, drunk naps."

Cece cautiously looked at the man. "We already have copies of those videos." She said.

Charles shook his head. "Not these ones. Yes, there are videos of Jason and his friends taking advantage of young women, but how have they been protected for so long? Do you really think it was just because their parents covered for them all that time? That's because Cece, their little rapist club wasn't the first. There was a generation of NAT members before Jason, Ian, Garret and the others." Cece lowered her knife, the words like a lightning strike against her skull. What?

Charles sighed. "Look, can we just get to putting Wilden somewhere where he won't seem like he's in danger? And we need to get rid of that video in the car, unless we want Hanna's mom to go to the slammer for the rest of her life."

Cece turned against her will to the fallen man in front of the car. Crap. Wilden. She had forgotten about him. She swung back to Charles, keeping her knife out in front of her.

"You'll help me hide what Mrs. Marin did?" Cece asked cautiously, still not believing this turn of events. Who could?

Charles nodded, giving a simple smile. "Yep. Promise. And I do want to point out, you have a pretty scary knife there. If you really don't trust me, you could always just…take necessary precautions with me." Cece was taken aback again. Here was this weirdo who was offering to let her stab him if necessary. Taking one more glance at the car, Cece made her decision, knowing that she'd probably regret it soon.

They had to get rid of the evidence of what Hanna's mom had done. If anything happened to Hanna, it would kill Ali.

"Alright." Cece said at last, not quite sure what possessed her to agree to this, "You help me get rid of that video in the car. But if Wilden's still alive, you listen to what _I_ say, got it?"

Charles nearly did a little bow. It was only then Cece noticed Charles had a small, compact backpack strapped to him. "Understood. I will do as you say, your highness." Cece pushed aside the warm feeling that crept into her chest and stomach at his voice. Right, now was so not the time to be attracted to someone. She had no idea who this guy was. He could be dangerous for all she knew. She mentally kicked herself. Keep yourself under control, Cece, keep yourself under control. This lunatic may very well have hit Alison in the head with a rock, or was responsible for everything that had happened.

Charles's smile widened. "Shall we go then? I'll get Wilden, you get the footage in the car." He nodded towards the car and walked past the stiff, cautious Cece towards Wilden. Cece watched with a lowered mouth as Charles scooped Wilden up and carried him over to the front of the car, looking in.

Charles turned to Cece, nodding to the screen lodged in the front seat. "Come on!" Wilden keeps the keys to the footage on this thing on him. We need to get rid of it."

Cece didn't respond, just gulped behind her mask. What exactly had she just gotten herself into? Well, at least now she could go get that tracking device from Wilden's car.

 **(Page break)**

Noel watched Eddie carefully, hearing what the man just said. "How?" The younger man asked, "How was the patient the devil?"

Noel really wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Eddie looked around, as if making sure that no one was listening in on them. Noel had to keep a laugh out of his mouth. The guy wasn't even part of their group and he had the basics down already. Obviously _something_ was going on here. Eddie looked back at Noel. "The patient that was in that room?" The man said, "The girl that used to live there?" Eddie hesitated, "I never saw her face. Never. But I've heard rumors. I've heard that she looks like the girl that disappeared. You know, Alison DiLaurentis?" Noel almost shivered. That was a good sign. He had a lead here, there was no way around it now.

"Okay." Noel said, hoping he didn't sound too excited. "Continue." Eddie looked uncertain, like he was afraid of what would come out of his mouth next. "What I _did_ see was Jessica DiLaurentis. She visited that cell a lot. I was never up there, but I heard the staff say things." Noel watched, fascinated. "Things? What things?" Eddie shrugged, looking kind of creeped out. "People heard stuff. Like Jessica singing to who was in that cell. And they heard crying from inside. It sounded like a girl crying. And at other times they'd hear growling and screaming. And at other times? The creepiest laughter." Eddie took a breath, looking like he'd rather not say the next words, "I also know that a man tended to visit the cell. A man that the staff said looked a lot like Mrs. DiLaurentis, with blonde hair. Apparently he would even stick his hand into the food slot. And when he pulled his hand out, he'd have no scratches or anything." Eddie shuddered, "I guess he loved his family member, however he was tied to her. So much that he'd risk his life."

Noel narrowed his eyes. A man? That looked like Jessica DiLaurentis? That must have been Jason. Noel felt growing anger. So Jason had known about Courtney and he had never told Ali? That fucker. Eddie continued, now looking pale, "And then one of the staff got curious and snuck inside the cell. That did not end well for him, I have to say."

Noel felt his blood start to chill. Who knew what "not end well" meant? It could have meant a number of things.

"What do you mean by that?" Noel asked, looking uneasy. Eddie snorted. "What do you think? You saw the state of that room. That was the damage of someone that was just itching to hurt another person. I don't know how long the staff member was in there. I heard he was in there for only about twenty minutes before the guards came running up to rescue him. When they pulled him out, he had scratches all over his face, his arms, his legs. And part of his ear had been bitten off."

Noel's mouth dropped open. Holy crap. Alison's twin had gone all Mike Tyson on a guard? Shit.

"What….." Noel hesitated, "What about Wren? Do you know anything about him? I noticed that you didn't really like him at all." Eddie smirked, glaring at the door of the restaurant. "That's putting it lightly. I guess it's not really anything I can prove. Or even anything I've seen or heard. It's just a feeling and weird circumstances."

"Weird circumstances?" Noel asked, knowing there was more that he needed on Wren. There was a load of suspicious stuff, he just had to find the right thing for that suspicious stuff to come pouring out.

"Well," Eddie shrugged, "Aside from the fact that he applied as a doctor at a weird time. Right after Mona Vanderwaal was first brought into Radley." Noel felt his heart leap at that. That _was_ pretty weird. "Since Vanderwaal was admitted." Noel repeated, licking his lower lip. "Was there any word about the time that the patient in cell 317 left? Are you sure that the patient was released?" Eddie seemed to shuffle his feet a bit. He obviously didn't like any of this at all. "Kahn," The man said, "I'm not sure of anything when it comes to that patient. But I can safely tell you, the last time I heard the staff talking about that patient, and when the patient disappeared, there was no evidence of that patient getting better. I don't think she recovered. I think she escaped. And I think she had help."

Noel almost grinned. That second to last part he had been sure of. And hearing it admitted felt almost cathartic. But the last part? That Courtney, if the patient had indeed been her, she had had help getting out? "She had help?" He repeated again, "Are you sure?" Eddie snorted this time, "Did you see the handle of the cell door? It was demolished. I wasn't there that night. But I heard there was some kind of explosion in that area of Radley. Someone had attached a small bomb to the door and let the patient in that cell out. They hadn't bothered with keys. They just blew the handle up. And when I got there the next morning, I heard that two patients went missing from the institute."

"Two patients?" Noel said, wondering if he was starting to resemble a parrot, "You mean someone escaped besides the patient in cell 317? Who?" Eddie hesitated, "A girl on one of the lower floors. She was harmless really. Her name was Bethany Young. She disappeared too. Supposedly Bethany Young and the patient in cell 317 were close friends. At least, that's what I heard." Noel nodded, thinking about this. How was Bethany involved then?

"When was the night that the patient in cell 317 and Bethany disappeared?" Noel asked, already suspecting the answer. Eddie edged his feet back a bit, and Noel could tell that the man didn't want to stay here any more. "The night of Alison DiLaurentis's disappearance." Noel's eyes widened. There it was. There was a huge connection. The person in cell 317 supposedly looked like Alison, Jessica DiLaurentis visited the girl many times, and both the patient in that room and another patient disappeared the same night Alison did. Noel could almost see it work out in his mind. Courtney and that other patient disappeared, and Courtney made it to the DiLaurentis house and hit Alison in the back of the head with that rock. It worked out perfectly.

"Wren," Noel began again, cautiously, "Has he ever shown any interest in the patient that escaped that night?"

Eddie looked uncertain this time. "I…not really. In fact, he didn't seem to want to pay any attention to the story about that patient. Whenever a staff member would bring it up, he'd tell them to quiet it down. It's like he doesn't want people to talk about it or know about it." Noel nodded, feeling like he was onto something big. He needed to find access to proof now. "Is there any way to actually prove what you're telling me?" Noel asked, not wanting so much hope to leak into his voice, but knew it was there.

Eddie shook his head. "Not possible. All records on the patient in cell 317, and on Bethany Young have disappeared. There's no physical or digital proof that they were ever at Radley in the first place. Bethany Young's mother committed suicide soon after Bethany was admitted. And no one's seen the father since Bethany Young disappeared from the institute. No one is even sure who he was. And Jessica doesn't talk at all about coming to the institute. She paid the people there to shut them up."

Noel hesitated, but added, "There's no record of Jessica DiLaurentis visiting the institute? Or paying for their silence?" "Not that I know of." Eddie admitted. Noel nodded. "And what about that staff member who was attacked by the patient? The one that got his ear bitten? Is there a way to contact him?"

Eddie sighed, "You don't want to do that. He's so traumatized by what happened that he's cut himself off from people completely." Eddie shook his head. He then checked his watch and looked unsettled. "Listen, I need to get out of here now. People back at the institute are going to be suspicious if I don't show up soon. I already took a huge risk by coming here."

Noel groaned. He needed more information, but what he needed more was proof. And this guy didn't seem to have it. Noel then remembered the two names of the doctors that Wren had mentioned. "Wait," Noel said quickly, "One more thing. What do you know about Val Oliver and David Grant?"

Eddie almost stumbled over his own feet when he heard that question. He stared at the younger. "How did you hear about those names?" He asked, shocked. Noel shrugged. "Wren mentioned them to me when I was asking about cell 317."

Eddie looked afraid, to be frank. Like Noel was about to stumble onto something he really should stay away from.

"Just tell me," Noel urged, "Who are they?" Eddie looked around and almost whispered to the jock, "Those are aliases. They're not real names. They're fake names for people that live here and have been doing what they want for years, but no one has figured it out." Eddie's face got pale. "I don't know who they really are. I don't know they're real names. But they're dangerous. The less you know about them the better. Just pretend you never heard about them. I need to go!" Eddie turned and started moving fast down the path he came. "Hey, wait!" Noel called, almost tempted to go after the man, but stopped himself. Unless he wanted to draw more attention to himself, he had to remain where he was.

Well, at least he learned a few things. Grant and Oliver were aliases, Jessica DiLaurentis _definitely_ had contact with Alison's twin, Wren was even more suspicious than before, and another patient had escaped from Radley besides Courtney, and Jason had known about and visited Courtney. "Welp," Noel said, backing up and looking around, keeping a hand close to the firearm that Alison gave him, "That's a lot to report."

 **(Page break)**

Alison sighed. That was it. She didn't care if Spencer never wanted to see her again or hated her guts, she had to make sure that Spencer was alright, if only for tonight. She had checked on the others after leaving the sidewalk and making sure Spencer hadn't seen her. Emily was with Paige. Hanna was up in her room doing homework. And Aria was off with Ezra. At least, that was what it looked like. With one last check to her backpack that Spencer's Radley file was safely there on her back, Alison bolted through the forest, planning to go to the Hastings house. She didn't give a damn if Melissa was there. Or if Toby was creeping around the house. Especially not if Wren was there. She had to see Spencer and make sure the other girl was at least for the moment, safe.

She swung around the forest of the house, seeing that there were no cars parked in the parking lot. Looked like Peter and Veronica or Melissa were out. Good. Spencer might be too, Alison rationalized, but she just had to make sure. She slipped out of the brush and peered through the window. Upon closer inspection, her eyes narrowed when she realized that the window was open. Had it always been open? It didn't feel hot enough for it to be. She neared the window, hearing nothing except a faint pounding, and Spencer's muffled cries. "Help!" Spencer was yelling, "Someone help me!"

Alison's eyes went huge, alarm surging in her chest. She didn't care that she was dressed in Redcoat getup right now. She didn't care that Spencer would see her in a redcoat and a mask and would think that it was -A. Spencer was in trouble right now. Spencer needed help, and that blocked out any worry or need to stay hidden. Practically leaping headfirst through the window, Alison rolled on her side and jumped up onto her feet, bolting through the living room, zeroing in on where she heard the noise. It sounded like it was coming from upstairs. She ran up the stairs, and got to the bathroom.

The bathroom door was ajar, and there was steam nearly fogging up the glass cubicle of the shower. _There_ Spencer was, crouching down, a towel around her sweaty body, brown hair in a ponytail, hands desperately pressed to the end of the door as her head was lowered. The horror that expanded in Alison, seeing this, felt like a blade to the chest. She hissed looking at the door. There was a plunger there, jammed into the door's handles. The white stick was slipped between the handle and the metal bar used to grab onto in case someone slipped. Not even needing to look twice, Alison moved to the door, grabbed the plunger and pulled it out of the two bars, dropping it to the floor and swinging the shower door open, letting the exhausted, overheated Spencer fall out.

Alison could barely contain her anger and panic at the sight. Spencer, nearly naked, save for the towel, vulnerable, tortured, terrified. Alison's teeth clenched and didn't even curse –A as she went quickly to the sink, grabbed the glass there and filled it with water from the faucet. Spencer needed to be hydrated, _now_. She kneeled down, holding the glass full of water in front of the brunette for the brilliant girl to take.

The brunette likely didn't even process, or maybe didn't even care in the state she was in, that she was being given a glass full of water by a black gloved hand with a red sleeve, as she snatched the glass and didn't hesitated to bring in to her lips, gulping the water down with a shaky hand. Alison cupped the glass from behind, making it steady as Spencer drank.

When all of the glass's content was gone, Alison carefully took the glass from Spencer and stood up to go to the sink for more water, but Spencer reached a sweat soaked hand up and grabbed at Alison's arm, pulling the masked blonde back down to her. Wild, frightened, angry brown eyes stared at her in accusation, making Alison's heart skip a beat. As much as she could easily stare into those beautiful brown pools forever in just about any other situation, Spencer was seriously dehydrated. They couldn't waste time on suspicion. Not caring that there might be a camera stationed somewhere in the bathroom, she reached up and snatched the mask off her face, pushing the red hood back and revealing her face and hair to the brunette.

She watched as Spencer's eyes went wide. Alison felt a wet, weak smile spread on her face, lacking all of her usual bravado and strength. It was all in the air what would happen now. "Hi, Spencer," She managed out, voice sounding shockingly small, "Did you miss me?"

The shock surrounded Spencer's face and as much as Alison wanted to comfort the other girl, she knew what she had to do. She lifted herself again and went for the sink, this time getting to the basin only thanks to Spencer's complete befuddlement. She filled the glass with water again and crouched down next to Spencer, putting her mask down on the fuzzy white bathroom mat as she did, handing the glass to the brunette. Spencer took the glass, looking at Alison as if she expected horns to grow out of the blonde's head. Alison tried to keep her face calm, not wanting the sting of Spencer's stare to show that it affected her.

Spencer looked suspiciously at the glass before downing the water, brown eyes still open and never leaving Alison. Alison pushed back the apprehension that sparked at Spencer's suspicious glare. All that she could feel at the moment was stupendous relief that Spencer was safe now and that she was getting liquids into her system. When Spencer drained her second glass, ripping it from her lips and panting, putting the glass down, she still stared at Alison.

"Alison," The brunette husked out, shoulders shaking, "What's going on?! Did you-?" Spencer looked down at where the plunger lay on the floor and glared back at Alison. Alison felt like she had been slapped again. She knew what Spencer was asking. Somehow her voice didn't come out shaky, "Did I pull the plunger out from the door? Yes, I did. Did I put it there in the first place? No. Someone else did. I came in when I heard you banging on the door. I just came to…" The words died in Alison's throat. What was she going to say? That she just came by to check on Spencer? While true, that wouldn't quite explain the likely million questions Spencer would soon throw at her.

Spencer stared incredulously at the blonde, making the hooded girl wince when she saw the small tears starting to form in Spencer's eyes. "You just what, Alison?" Spencer demanded, pushing her still shaking hands against the floor to balance herself, hand pulling away from the towel and allowing the garment to fall away from the brainiac's body, revealing Spencer's waist, stomach and a portion of Spencer's left breast.

Alison sucked in a breath and looked away. Now was so not the time for _that_. Spencer had just experienced an incredibly disturbing incident, was drained, tired, shaken up and dehydrated; now was definitely not the time for Alison's mind to be wandering into the sewer. Spencer needed help right now. Alison turned back to the brunette, sitting on her knees before the other girl and looked at Spencer right in the eye, avoiding looking anywhere below. "What do you want me to tell you, Spencer?"

Spencer's lost, pained brown eyes hardened. "The truth." She said angrily, "Just tell me the truth. What's going on? We all thought you were dead!"

Alison nodded, tensing at the pain those hurt words brought. "I know. I know. I'll explain everything. But please, let me help you lie down and get you some more water." Alison reached for Spencer's arm to help the brunette up, but Spencer scowled, pulling away from the blonde. "Don't! Don't try to distract me. You tell me what's going on, Alison?! Or I swear-" "You swear what, Spence?" Alison said coolly, knuckling down her anger, knowing that she couldn't waste time right now, "Spencer, look at you. You're exhausted. You could have died. And you're dehydrated still. Just let me help you, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Spencer kept her eyes locked with Alison's and one could practically see the fire passing between their gazes. Before Spencer could respond, her eyes flickered and her body sagged, showing her weakness. "Whoa," Alison exclaimed, throwing her previous minding of Spencer's nakedness to the wind in favor of making sure the other didn't collapse, "Easy, easy." The blonde put gloved hands on Spencer's bare shoulders, steadying the brunette.

Alison used steel and iron will, which was the only thing that kept her need to wrap her arms around the nearly naked girl and hold her close, burying her face in Spencer's throat and settled, with that same iron-wrought will to only hold Spencer by her shoulders. "Spencer, easy," Alison repeated, voice hoarse, "We need to get you to your bedroom. You need rest."

Spencer shook her head, defiant glint sparking in her eye, despite her depleted state. "I don't need to rest. What I need are answers." Alison sighed, a sad smile crossing her face. "Spencer, haven't we established this? How are you going to listen to my answers if you pass out? Just let me get you to your room and get you some water and I'll talk." She deliberately softened her gaze, looking at Spencer imploringly, smile almost widening at the shocked look she received as a result of her pleading look. Hoping that Spencer would for once comply, at least about this, she pulled her left hand from Spencer's shoulder and turned it, palm up for Spencer to take so that Alison could lead the other girl to her room. Spencer stared at the hand for a good minute before slowly taking it, earning a big smile as Alison helped Spencer up off the floor, hands more caring and gentle than they'd ever been, and the blonde fought her need to pull the brunette closer. Alison instead, slowly led Spencer backwards, to the brunette's bedroom.

Alison checked behind her, relieved that she saw no dark hooded figure in the hallway or near Spencer's room's doorway. Okay, so there was no one in the immediate area. At least not around the upstairs part. Alison led Spencer through the door to Spencer's bedroom, pulling the brunette who was staring at her incredulously towards the bed. She maneuvered the weak, sweat and water entrenched Spencer down onto her side, feeling the brunette squirm in resistance for a moment, before her already now drained body gave up and she allowed herself to be laid down onto the bed. Alison pulled the covers over Spencer's body, finally releasing the brunette's shoulders, she pulled off the glove on her right hand and her hand traveled up to Spencer's forehead, feeling how hot the other girl's forehead was.

Spencer's eyes went wider if possible at the gentle action, those brown orbs following Alison's every move.

Alison smiled gently, letting out soothing words, her voice as soft as if she were speaking to a child, "It's okay. It's okay, Spencer. I'm not leaving. I'm not gonna hurt you. No one will." Alison tried not to flinch at the last words that came out of her mouth. She meant those words, but she didn't know how well she could follow up on that promise. Not that that was a lie. That certainly was true. Just that whoever intended to hurt Spencer, would have to get through Alison first.

But Spencer didn't need to know _that_ little detail just yet. Alison kept her smile up as she started backing away from the bed, putting her glove back on, intending to go get the glass in the bathroom and fill it up with water again. However…

"Where are you going?!" Spencer demanded in a ragged voice, lifting herself up off the mattress shakily, barely able to keep herself up on the palms of her hands on the bed. Alison winced and sighed. Yes, there was that problem. "Spencer," She said in a reasonable tone, "I have to get you some more water. The glass is still in the bathroom. I'm going back to get it. I won't disappear. I promise." She met Spencer's eyes imploringly, "Please, just let me get you water." Those distrusting brown eyes made Alison feel like a dozen knives were stabbing into her. She knew that she perhaps didn't have the best track record with the girls, but knowing that Spencer didn't trust her at all still stung worse than any physical injury she had ever endured.

She added gently, "Spencer, please, you're very tired right now. I promise I'll be back in three minutes tops." She knew that her many lies likely left a lingering distrust but she watched Spencer hopefully. Spencer finally shook her head, eyes still fixated on the blonde. "Two minutes." She warned and her wet eyes jumped to the alarm clock by her bed, "I'm going to time you." Alison couldn't stop the huge giggle that left her throat, making Spencer look at her, startled. "You _would,_ wouldn't you, Spence?" Alison said, smiling and quickly turned, dashing to the bathroom, grabbing the glass and filling it up with the sink's water again.

She brought the nearly full glass back to Spencer's room, only slowing down as she didn't want to spill any of the water, and reached the room, just as the brunette was starting to step out of her bed. "Whoa, whoa, hey, Spencer," Alison said, intending to speak firmly, but her voice came out harsher and more strained than she had hoped, "You didn't even give me two minutes!" She wanted it to sound funny, but she was sure it instead sounded astounded. She went to Spencer's table, next to the brunette's bed and put the glass down, moving quickly to Spencer and laying her hands carefully on Spencer's bare, sweaty shoulders.

Despite the sweat touching Alison's palms, even with the leather gloves on, the heat from Spencer's body made the blonde shiver, but she ignored it and helped Spencer back down to the mattress, nudging the glass of water closer to the brunette once the other girl was lying down.

Alison smiled at Spencer. "There, was that so hard to do? I haven't gone anywhere yet. And I'm back." Alison started looking around the room for a chair to sit on. She didn't find any, including that nice wooden rocking chair that Spencer had. Alison narrowed her eyes and turned to Spencer. "Are there any chairs I can sit down on, Spence? I don't see that rocking chair anywhere." When Spencer's face drew back in anger, Alison regretted asking her question. "Wouldn't _you_ know?" Spencer snapped coldly, "Toby made me that chair. I couldn't stomach it after I found the keycard." Alison winced at Spencer's words. The brunette was in clear pain and was so utterly tired. So tired. Alison sighed, turning slightly and sitting on the edge of the side of the bed, looking down at Spencer and watching as the brainiac stared up weakly at the blonde.

"I _do_ know, Spencer," Alison said sadly. "And I'm sorry. You didn't deserve any of this. None of you girls deserve this. I'm so sorry." "That's really nice of you," Spencer grumbled, voice sarcastic, "Now can you just tell me what's going on here?!" Alison sighed, nodding, sympathy and sadness over Spencer's state making her concerned. "Where do you want me to start? There's so much to tell you." Spencer's irritation came out again as she grumbled, "Why don't you start from the beginning?" Alison sighed. She supposed that was easy for Spencer to assume. It was more complicated than that. She certainly couldn't tell Spencer about the others. About Noel, Cece, Shana, Duncan, Patrick, Kira, Sam and everyone else. She wasn't going to risk being heard by anyone listening in or any bugging device that might be in Spencer's room hearing them. She wouldn't put all of them on –A's radar.

If they could manage to put radars on people, the A-Team certainly could too.

She would have to give Spencer a very abridged version of what was happening, at least until she knew that they wouldn't be listened in on.

Alison shook her head. "I don't know. Whatever you think I know, I don't know as much as that. I didn't even know about someone being dead, till they found the body. I had no idea that there was someone who died that night instead of me. I don't know who she is. But there's no way that the mistake that that body was mine was an accident. Someone wants people to think that I'm actually dead. I don't know why." Spencer shifted after a few moments, so that she was sitting up but leaning back against the headboard. "That's not hard to believe." Spencer whispered hollowly, "Maybe they wanted people to feel safe." The comment was like a slap to Alison's face. She stiffened. She met Spencer's accusatory gaze anew. "Yes," Alison said, trying to keep the frost out of her voice, "They wanted to make people feel so safe, that they eventually turned to blackmailing, stalking and terrorizing people in this town. Please tell me how safe you feel now after that shower, Spencer. Tell me how safe Hanna was when Mona hit her with that car. Tell me how safe Emily was when –A…." Alison's voice trailed off. She wasn't sure if she could finish that sentence.

Finding out about Hanna, Mona and the car would have been easy. Anyone could have heard about that or made the assumption about Mona, even if it wasn't announced. And she had just seen Spencer in that shower. But Spencer was going to ask how Alison knew that Emily had been attacked in the greenhouse, had Alison finished her sentence. And the problem with that? Alison wasn't sure she could answer the question. Her sister Courtney may very well have been the one in that greenhouse, but that would just bring more suspicion to _her,_ wouldn't it?

Still, Spencer's eyes narrowed. "When –A did _what_ to Emily?" She asked, clearly not satisfied by the silence. Alison schooled her features into a façade of more or less calm, and let out the first lie since she had seen Spencer the other night, when the brainiac had pulled off Alison's mask and first realized that Alison was alive, "I mean when Emily was put in hospital for that cream and the growth hormones were hurting her." She saw that Spencer was skeptical about that answer, but the brunette seemed to accept it. "Well, I guess that's still one redeeming quality about you," Spencer said, voice sounding wounded, "I guess you really do care about Emily." Alison almost let out another laugh. That was who Spencer thought was her weakness? Emily? True, she cared about Emily and it would kill her if anything happened to the swimmer. There was no doubt about that. There was just one problem. Emily wasn't Spencer.

Still, Alison slipped out, "Yeah. That. The point is, none of you are safe. That isn't why someone wants people to think I'm dead. Nice try, Spence, but come up with something else." She added a playful smirk, hoping to get the dark-haired girl's spirit up.

"I don't know _why_ someone wants people to think I'm dead." Alison continued, keeping her voice calm, "But what I do know, Spencer, is that I had nothing to do with –A torturing you other than a psycho that decided it was fun to fuck with you." She could tell that Spencer was stunned by this proclamation and added carefully, "I know that messing with you four used to be my favorite hobby, but I'm not the person that you knew, I swear." She stared hard at the brunette, hoping that her point was getting across to the other, and she saw those dark eyes widen even more if possible.

Alison almost smiled, hope gripping at her. Maybe, just maybe Spencer was starting to believe her. Spencer's eyes lowered and she asked carefully, "Where were you all this time?" Alison tightened her lips. That was yet another question that would be hard to answer. She couldn't risk the others being found by –A. Alison shook her head and said finally, knowing that all she could do was give Spencer the truth as to why she couldn't really release that kind of information, "I can't tell you, Spence. Not that I don't want to, but because I can't. Your room is likely bugged, Spencer. If I mention where I've been, it won't be safe for me anymore." That was partially true, but of course, she had said it to protect the others too. She couldn't endanger them.

Besides, from the look on Spencer's face right now, the brainiac clearly deserved to know that her room had a good chance of being bugged. "Bugged?!" Spencer exclaimed, shocked, "My room's bugged?" Alison sighed, "Do you have another explanation for how –A is always one step ahead of all of you? All the time? I can't be sure of course, but that's my theory."

Seeing the paranoia morph its way onto Spencer's face, Alison felt a freezing chill in her blood, bile rising in her throat. Their privacy, their safe spaces had been violated. All of theirs had been. "What…where-" Spencer started rising out of her bed, eyes wildly flying around the room, as if trying to summon forth where this possible recording or spying device that might be hidden in her room, just by panicking. "Spencer, wait, whoa, easy." Alison hurried out, hands reaching out and grasping the brunette's shoulders before she could think of anything else to do as the other girl started struggling.

The heated electricity past through her fingertips again, even with her gloves on and Alison suppressed a shiver. Being this close to Spencer, to her beautiful, brilliant, strong, protective Spencer, Alison lost herself for a moment; sliding her hands along a still warm, smooth back, cupping the brunette's shoulder blades, making Spencer jump as she turned and looked at Alison with startled eyes.

Alison stiffened, swallowing, realizing what she had just done. She was frozen, hoodie covered chest up against Spencer's almost naked one, the blonde's arms clasped under the other girl's arms, holding the brunette. Alison's heart pounded and she felt her throat go dry, locking eyes with Spencer's stunned brown ones. Alison's breath was caught in her throat. The heat spilling off the other girl made tremors lance through her body. She was flush against Spencer, lips only inches from the brainiac's soft ones.

She slowly released the brunette, giving an apologetic smile to the other girl. "I'm sorry." She amended. "I shouldn't have done that. I'll search your room, okay? If there's a bug that's been planted here, I'll try to find it. And if I can't find it, I'll write the information I need to tell you down." She quickly got up without another word and started checking around the room, feeling Spencer's hot gaze burn into her back.

Occasionally looking back at the recovering girl, Alison felt that same presence she had felt on the street when seeing Wren and Spencer together, blast her hard, like a storm of electricity, determined to be heard. She winced and nearly crashed down to the carpeted floor, grabbing at her head. "Ali?!" She heard Spencer yell, shocked.

The voice that sounded almost exactly like her own, purred in Alison's brain, louder than if the voice had been shouted in Alison's ear, _"Are you even looking at her right now, sister? How are you not tempted? She's helpless, wet and hot right now. What is wrong with you? Have you lost all your need and desire? Has your time trying to be a better person completely neutered you of your desires? Because let me tell you, if I was there right now, I wouldn't be wasting my time playing the stupid, fucking sleuth. I'd be busy fucking her."_

As Alison's knees collided with the floor, the file on Spencer feeling more like a hot brand against her back than ever, and Spencer scrambled over to her, towel barely tucked in properly, holding it up in its physical state around her body. Spencer leaned close, hands going to Alison's shoulders. "Ali?" Spencer whispered, "Ali, what's wrong?!"

 **(Page break)**

Dumping the groaning and still unconscious Wilden onto his bed at the detective's house, Charles backed away from the house, closing the front door with a gloved hand. "Okay," He said, smirking as he turned to the stunned Cece, who was holding the recording box, containing the footage of Hanna's mother running Wilden down with her car, "We should get going. I know the group's schedule, so I know when they'll be checking in on Wilden. We should leave soon." Cece nodded, holding both the recording box and her hunting knife close. She had never once taken off her mask, but somehow Charles knew exactly who she was.

Cece, against her better judgment, followed Charles through the pathway, just glad that she had both the recording box with the footage from Wilden's car and the tracking device she had put in the vehicle on her now. Charles decided to be talkative, as he put on his mask and put up his hood again, "I'm Alison and Courtney's cousin, by the way."

Cece almost fell right over hearing that. The hell? No secrecy or diversions? This guy had just told her about Courtney and didn't try to imply anything else. "Are you surprised I told you that?" Charles asked, chuckling, "I told you when we brought Wilden to the house. I won't hide anything from you. Yes, I'm their cousin. The son of Jessica DiLaurentis's twin sister, Mary. Also their half brother because Kenneth had sex with Mary."

This time Cece stumbled. Okay, that was worse than any rumor even _she_ could spread around! She turned back to the other masked figure, not caring that the man couldn't see the disbelief all over her face because of her mask. "You're Alison and Courtney's half brother? Kenneth and Jessica's sister…okay, now you're making stuff up." Charles shook his masked head. "I am not. Jason isn't the only half sibling Ali and Cour have. Let me guess, when you, Ali and Shana checked the birth certificates, you didn't find anything on me, right?"

Cece stared, hand tightening around the handle of her knife. Charles knew about their journey to the main Hall? At her hesitance, Charles sighed, "Yes I did follow you, Ali and Shana to the Main Hall. Don't worry, none of the others know. Courtney doesn't even know. I haven't told her. I followed you. And I know you found a certificate on Alison and Courtney. But there was no record of a Charles DiLaurentis, was there? That's because Mary moved away a long time ago. Kenneth doesn't know about me being his kid. He thinks I'm the son of one of Mary's boyfriends."

Cece blanched under her mask. It was like someone had just flipped a carpet out from under her. "I…I don't believe any of this." Cece stuttered, shocked at her own tone of voice.

Charles shrugged again, moving along, Cece keeping up with his stride. "Believe me or don't." The man said, "I genuinely don't care." He reached behind him into his backpack, pulling out a package. Cece tensed up, keeping her blade in front of her. Charles chuckled. "Easy already. If this is a weapon, it's the most delicious smelling weapon ever." He waved it, letting Cece smell the pleasant scent coming off it. Charles turned and walked deeper into the woods. "This really isn't anything important. I just haven't had dinner yet. I was too busy following you."

Cece felt like she was going to kick this guy. They had just dumped Wilden off at his house and he was having dinner? "Wait," She hissed, catching up with the A-Team member that was taking off his mask again. "What about the other NAT videos?" "Oh, those?" Charles shrugged a third freaking time, taking his first bite of what he unwrapped, a sandwich and mumbled out as he chewed, "I have them. Here." As he kept eating, Charles reached into another compartment of his backpack, unzipped it and pulled out three USB drives, holding them out with an open hand for Cece to take.

Cece stared at the USB drives, now incredibly suspicious. "How do I know there's anything on those at all?" Charles shrugged a fourth time, making Cece almost growl, "You don't. But I swear, there are people you know in this town, people now in their thirties, forties and fifties preying on young girls when they were in their teenage years and twenties. That's how the current NAT club got away with so much and were hidden." Cece slowly, never taking her eyes off Charles, and keeping her knife up, she snatched the USB drives from the man's hand, slipping them into her pocket. She held the recording box from Wilden's car close.

"Well, you've got the USB drives." Charles smiled happily, swallowing the piece of sandwich he had been chewing on. "And you have the evidence of what Ashley Marin did. You can destroy it now. What you and Ali do with the USB drives are completely up to you." Cece backed away a little, not quite believing this was happening. "Why did you give the USB drives to me?" She asked cautiously. Charles smiled, cocking his head. "Because we're alike."

Cece blinked, staring at the man. To answer her unspoken questions, Charles lifted his head and his blue eyes that were so much like Alison's, locked with Cece. "What would you do for Alison? For your little sister?" Charles said it in such a serious, convicted voice that Cece found the only real answer she had come out. "Anything." "That's right." Charles smiled, "You would do anything for Alison, correct? Well, so would I. I'd do anything to protect her, and Cour." Cece shivered at that declaration. That was a big thing to claim. She then thought about what Charles had just called Courtney. "Cour?" She repeated, cocking an eyebrow. "Yep." Charles said, "Cour is my nickname for her. Just like you guys call Alison "Ali." Alison used to call Courtney that a lot when they were little."

Cece shifted uncomfortably on her feet. If this man was indeed who he said he was and knew as much as he said he did, he'd know a lot. A lot about Alison and her twin when they were little. And about why Courtney had to be locked up. "What am I supposed to do now?" Cece asked carefully. Charles stopped his biting of the sandwich and looked back at Cece. "Whatever you want. I can provide you information on the A-Team. In return, keep out of my way so I can do my job."

"Your job?" Cece asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah." Charles said, grinning, "Getting rid of the other A-Team members so my sisters and cousins will be safe. Remember the fire in the Cavanaugh house that almost killed Jenna? Remember Jenna ended up in the water that one time? That was me. At Courtney's behest, you understand. Also, I ordered Toby to mow Lucas down with his truck. Too bad Toby stinks at being an assassin. Lucas got away on his skateboard."

Cece tried not to feel chilled. This man just admitted to three counts of attempted murder, with a grin on his face. Not that Cece hadn't killed anyone, and it wasn't like she didn't know plenty of people that had plenty of blood on their hands, Alison included, but to admit it without so much as blinking…

And he had just confessed to almost killing Noel's girlfriend, twice!

"Don't try that again." Cece said, voice almost like ice, making Charles look at her curiously. "I don't care if you kill the other A-Team members. But don't hurt Jenna. She's my brother's girlfriend." It seemed to take Charles a moment to think about what Cece meant before he nodded. "You mean Noel Kahn? That guy that smiles a lot with black hair?" "Yes." Cece said angrily, "He's not just my brother. He's Ali's. You claim you'd do anything for Alison, but you weren't there for her. _We_ were." Charles absorbed all this and nodded. "I understand. I won't go after Jenna again. But that means that _you_ had better keep a close eye on her. And let me get rid of the rest of the team."

"Why should I trust this?" Cece said, "You could have hit Alison in the head with that rock years ago!"

Charles stiffened and turned to Cece, looking almost offended. "That wasn't me! And it wasn't Cour either. I didn't touch Alison that night. Courtney and I were trying to retrieve Alison from this town that night, four years ago. But someone almost killed her first." Charles's angry voice, which surprised Cece softened, and his shoulders lowered. "I'm not going to ask you to trust me. Just let me eliminate the threat, okay? Alison's your sister, I get it. But I'm her brother too. If you won't let me near her, at least let me protect her."

Cece's face softened. Strangely, she almost identified with this man. But she knew not to let her guard down. He claimed that he hadn't hit Ali in the back of her head with that rock, but who else would Jessica DiLaurentis willingly burry her child alive in order to protect? That left two people as options. Courtney, Jessica's other daughter, or Jessica's nephew, this man. Then again, it could have been Jessica's husband, Kenneth. Or Jessica's son, Jason. And since Alison had had access to the NAT videos, Jason had a motive to do it. Cece clenched her teeth. She didn't have time to see if she could deduce if this man was lying or not. She just didn't have time for that. She had to rush and get to the others and tell them. And she had to get rid of this thing." She looked down at the recorder device. This thing had footage of Ashley Marin running Wilden over. She had to destroy it unless she wanted Mrs. Marin in jail. She tried one last time, cautiously, "What should I tell Ali and the others when I see them?" Cece said, "I assume you don't want me telling them about you."

Charles shook his head. "I really don't care. Tell them. Or don't. But don't mention that I'm killing off the A-Team members. I don't want them interfering."

"Now if you'll excuse me," Charles said, looking down at his sandwich hungrily, "I have a chicken and avocado sandwich to eat. I'll see you around. I'll find you before you'll find me." Hearing her heartbeat like a thousand thunder roars, Cece turned on her heel, bolting through the forest, occasionally looking back to see if Charles was following her, hand traveling to her pocket and feeling the USB drives inside, the other hand, clenching her knife and the thick steel of the recorder device from Wilden's car that had the damnable evidence of Mrs. Marin's crime inside.

Okay, what had just happened? Seriously, what had just happened?

 **Yeah, you see, I never took the whole "Charles" storyline seriously. I always thought it was a copout. This is kind of the best payback I can think of, making him comical and helpful at the same time. Charles isn't a danger at all. Well, at least to the Redcoat team. The A-Team on the other hand…He's the most open and honest guy you'll meet. How does he play into the whole Alison and Courtney thing? It's exactly as he says. He's just trying to keep them both safe, nothing else. Really. He's a simple guy. He's actually going to be a good source of information. That's what he is. He's the magnificent information provider, nothing else. Nothing intimidating about him unless you're part of the A-Team. Now please leave him to his chicken sandwich.**

 **And yes, there was a previous generation of NAT club members. Jason, Ian, Garret and the others are just the next generation of perverts and stalkers. Like Charles said, how do you think half the people in Rosewood get away with so much? It always grated on my nerves that the NAT videos were just "poof," forgotten about in the fourth and fifth season. And let us never speak of the sixth and seventh seasons again, shall we?**


	26. The Devil and her brother

**Spoiler warnings for what I'm about to rant about:**

 **So as I'm sure people have noticed by now, I have problems with Marlene King. Yeah...a little more on that and Charles. I will not believe for a second, that the person that hurt Alison so much could be the same as Cece. No way. There was a version of 6x10 that was written before and Marlene got rid of it and instead put in that complete BS ending with Cece. It was both disrespectful of transgender people, and it was destroying one of the more genuine relationships in the TV show, Cece and Alison's friendship was extremely intense and real to me. I mean, for god's sake, Cece went into Rosewood and risked being arrested, all to say hello to Alison and give her a gift on Christmas. And Marlene really wants us to believe that Cece's the same person as the one that almost strangled Ali to death?**

 **Give me a freaking break.**

 **Warnings here for abuse, sexual abuse, mental illness, and alluding to consent and lack of consent.**

 **Chapter 26: The Devil and her brother**

Cece bolted through the woods, thinking about what had just happened. Because seriously, what the hell had just happened? Had that really happened? Alison's cousin, and brother. The idea was so crazy that she was doubting what she had seen and heard. The man had looked enough like Alison for his words to hold credit, but it just was too crazy. How had Alison or Jason never talked about him? Even bigger question, how had they never known about him in the first place if that was the reason they had never mentioned him?

Yes, there was an aunt Mary. Cece had been to the house with Alison a few times. But that house had been abandoned for years. And this "aunt Mary" that was Jessica DiLaurentis's sister had never been seen to Cece's knowledge. She certainly had never seen her. A thought gave Cece pause as her legs slowed down. Although, hadn't Charles said that Mary and Jessica were twins? Was it possible Cece had already seen Mary and not realized, thinking it was Jessica?

That thought made Cece gulp. That was kind of creepy. It seemed too fanciful an idea, of course, but if they were twins and Mary looked enough like Jessica…Cece tried to shake off that paranoia, at least for now. She couldn't start thinking like that. There was already enough paranoia running around all over the place, she couldn't afford dealing with it now, with an abusive woman she barely cared about and about another woman she had never met knowingly.

She moved swiftly past the buildings, keeping herself hidden. Though he hadn't seen her face at all and had never heard her admit to being Cece Drake, Charles knew her. How long had he been shadowing them? Cece's heart was beating fast. It might have just been due to how fast and how long she had been running, but it felt like her heart was going to leap out of her chest and flee this town. All this time, she had thought that they were at least one step ahead of –A, but if Charles's words were anything to go by, they were three steps behind part of the group as usual.

Cece started slowing down to a walk, checking the streets. She past a Chinese restaurant, and headed down the next street. Down one street, Cece saw a figure walking ahead. One that even from the back, she recognized. Her eyes widened. Noel? What was he doing here? She thought about just walking up to him, but he was too far. She hoped she didn't give him a heart attack, running after him like this when all of them were pretty much the group of paranoia.

She started running quickly, gaining on Noel. The boy must have heard her footsteps, because he tensed up and whirled around, eyes narrowed, arms raised, till he saw the Redcoat in front of him. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Who-?" Cece slowed down and lifted her mask up a little, other hand still gripping the recording box. "Calm down, Kahn. It's me." She laughed out, "We need to talk." Noel's posture eased and he nodded, looking somewhat overwhelmed. "Yeah, we do. I met with someone from Radley." Cece almost fell over. What? This was a new one for her. "Who?" She asked, not quite believing the night they were having-even in Rosewood, this was a lot to take in.

"Yeah." Noel nodded, taking a glance around them, "We should probably head somewhere where we're less likely to be listened in on." "Good idea." Cece hissed, siding up next to the boy. "There's a lot I need to tell you guys, too." She whispered the last part to Noel, "Alison especially." Noel stiffened and nodded. The two quickly started bolting off to the closest hideaway they knew of.

 **(Page break)**

The intense electricity like sensation was pulsing through her and Alison needed to focus on keeping Courtney from completely dominating her mind. She concentrated on a wall of some kind in her mind, trying to block out the sneering, enticing voice. _"Come on, sis, do you really think she's this heartbroken over TOBY? Give me a break. What did they have? Puppy love? I swear, whenever I see them together, I feel like I'm gonna puke. And seriously, can you imagine how a useless lover he is? He doesn't even know how to kiss her properly!"_

Alison hissed, glancing at the confused Spencer. "Spence," Alison hissed, "You have to get away from me. I don't know if I'm the safest to be around right now." Spencer looked surprised, not understanding what was going on here.

"Ali, what?" The other girl said.

Alison hissed, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to focus on the connection with Courtney. Courtney's next words gave her all the motivation she needed, _"Why are you pretending you're any different than I am? You want her as much as I do. The same way I do. We both want to take her hard and screaming for us."_

Alison's teeth ground together. She was not going to hurt Spencer. And sister or no, she wouldn't let Courtney lay a hand on Spencer either. She focused all of her energy on the connection as she sent a mental message to her sister, _"Courtney, calm the fuck down. We can't do anything right now. Do you want her to be scared of us? She already doesn't trust me. Do you want it to get worse because I abused what little vulnerability she's showing me? What makes you think she'll let you even close to her afterwards? Respect someone's right to say no, or you'll lose them forever. And we're not entitled to anything of Spencer's or anyone. Do you really want to push this? Are you really going to do something to Spencer or get me to do something to Spencer without her permission? Do you want her to distrust us?"_

There was a dark hiss in Alison's mind and the electrical powerful jolt that felt like over a million circuits being hooked up to her head started fading away. Clearly what she had said had some affect on her twin because she felt the unimaginable force start to recede.

There was one last jolt as Alison heard Courtney's hiss again, _"Fine, but do you think Spencer will trust you any more than she does if you tell her about me? I'm your twin, Ali. We're exactly alike. Monstrous. Cunning. Fierce. Killers. Do you think Spencer will trust you if you tell her about me? Watch your next words. They might condemn you in Spencer's eyes."_

Gasping, Alison got up slowly, weakly meeting her eyes with Spencer's shocked, confused and worried ones. "It's okay." Alison managed out weakly, "I'm okay now." "Okay." Spencer looked at Alison suspiciously. "What just happened?"

Alison heaved out a breath. That was a good question. For all of her contemplations on how she was going to explain to the rest of her family about Courtney, she knew that it wasn't _them_ she was worried about. All of them would be understanding about. Maybe shocked. But understanding. At least she hoped. It was Spencer and the other girls she was worried about. Spencer was already distrustful to her, what would she do if she knew that Alison had a twin that was the reason for all of the crimes that had been happening? "That," Alison hesitated, looking around the room, knowing though that she wouldn't see any mechanical bug or anything like that, "It's hard to explain. I can't say it out loud. But I can write it down."

Alison's heart almost burst from her chest at the thought. Could she really do that? Thinking about Courtney's last words, she really had to wonder.

Spencer looked to her desk, gripping her towel close and walked to it, grabbing a few pieces of paper off the desk and grabbing a pen up in her grasp and bringing it over to Alison, their eyes never breaking from each other. Spencer handed Alison the paper and pen. The brunette said after a few tense seconds, "I need to get other clothes on. If this room is bugged…I better put some clothes on."

Alison nodded, heart hurting at how vulnerable Spencer was right now. "I'll wait outside the room." At Spencer's cautious gaze, Alison chuckled, "Spencer, you already know I'm alive. What good would leaving you now do? I'll stay outside, and you can call me back in after your dressed." Alison gave what she hoped was a warm smile to Spencer. The brunette was still eyeing the girl in front of her as if she either expected the blonde to disappear in a puff of smoke, or for the other girl to pull a knife out on her. Despite Alison indeed being armed, as all Redcoats were, the idea that Spencer was afraid of her, felt like she had been kicked multiple times in the gut and punched across the face for good measure. All of which had been done to her, from Jessica to Ian to Wilden.

She had always known gaining the girls' trust again, let alone Spencer's, should she ever choose to reveal that she was alive to them would be close to either impossible or very unlikely. Still, the distrust in Spencer's eyes hurt.

"I'll be right outside the door." Alison nodded to the doorjamb of Spencer's room. "Promise." Spencer was still tense but nodded. "Alright. I'll be done soon. You better still be there when I'm done." Alison smiled, "I will be." Alison started moving to the door, aware that Spencer was watching her the whole time. Alison got into the hallway and closed the door behind her, fighting the temptation to take at least one peak at Spencer while the other girl was undressing, but mentally kicked herself at the thought. She was trying to regain Spencer's trust. Besides that looking at someone naked without their permission was already an underhanded, pervy thing to do, she had just emphasized to her sister the importance of consent, she was not going abuse what little trust Spencer was extending to her.

She stood out in the hall, eyes scanning it and the open doors for any kind of movement. Spencer had been locked into her shower by someone. That someone could still be here. She brought her hand close to the hilt of her dagger, round-headed hilt brushing against her right hand. After a few minutes past by and Alison heard shuffling around, the door opened and a now dressed Spencer stood in the room, opening the door wider. "Well, you were going to write the answers down." The brunette said evenly, "So answers. Am I going to see them at some point?" Alison couldn't contain her smirk, but fought the wave of sadness she felt at seeing the surprise in Spencer's eyes that the blonde was still here. Spencer had thought that she'd make a run for it. She tried not to flinch at such distrust and keep a She could just see the brilliant girl's eyes brimming with questions. She walked in, giving the brunette a bit of a berth as this was awkward a situation enough as it was.

Spencer closed the door cautiously and faced Alison. The still disturbed girl had tossed her towel onto her bed and dressed herself with a shot sleeved dark blue shirt and tight black pants, feet bare. Her hair was now down past her shoulders. Dark eyes watched the blonde with expectation, impatience starting to grow in those orbs. Alison sighed, putting the small, thin ream of pages on Spencer's bed, clicking the top of the pen, letting out the point through its plastic sheath and started writing the parts that she _could_ talk about. The very first thing she wrote, she knew maybe she shouldn't have, but she wanted to be honest with the other girl. So regardless of what Spencer would think of her, Alison was going to tell her.

When she was done, she handed Spencer the first page.

Spencer looked at the page, reading Alison's message, _"The Redcoats have nothing to do with –A. We're only trying to stop –A._

Spencer looked at Alison skeptically. Alison brought a finger to her lips. "We're being listened to. Be careful."

Spencer looked at the blonde, absorbing this. Alison offered the other girl the pen. Spencer looked at it a moment as if the pen was offending her and grabbed the pen and started writing down on the same sheet of paper. She showed Alison the paper. _"How do I know I can trust anything you tell me?"_

The question caught Alison off guard and she looked at Spencer, hurt. It was an easy thing to wonder, considering it had been four years since she and Spencer had last seen each other. And considering not long ago Spencer had thought Alison was –A, suspicion was to be expected.

So she answered, writing down quickly, _"You don't. I have no proof to show you that I'm on your side. But I am. All of the Redcoats are. We're only there when –A is there to make sure you're safe. Or to see if you need help."_

Spencer was still giving the other a suspicious look. She started writing. _"You say that you're there when we're in trouble. Emily remembered you being there that night at the grave."_

Alison stiffened. She stared at the other girl. She wrote down, _"Spence, you don't want to know about that. That was awful. For anyone."_ Alison would like to have spared the other girl this.

Spencer glared at the other, writing, _"Tell me."_

Alison resigned herself to what she was about to tell the brunette. She wrote it down on the paper. _"Yes. I was there. I got a text from Noel after he and Jenna found Emily and she ran off. I got there just after, well, you know. I managed to get –A away. But only until Emily came to. Any other questions?"_

Spencer still watched the other girl with great caution, unsure whether or not to take that answer, but she started writing her next question and showed Alison, _"What happened just now? You looked like you were in pain. And you were grabbing at your head. And you said that you weren't safe to be around."_

Alison didn't move for a moment. This was it. The gigantic trial. She tell Spencer about Courtney now, and see where things headed from there, brave Spencer's possible further distrust or shock. Or claims that she was lying. Or she come up with something fast and see if she could tell Spencer later. She froze when she thought about. Maybe it wasn't a good idea. Not just because of Spencer. Did the A-Team even _know_ about Courtney?

If they were in fact being watched, at all, would telling Spencer about Courtney put her sister in danger? Alison sighed. Despite what Courtney had talked about, she couldn't put her sister in danger. She just couldn't. She wasn't going to let anyone in the A-Team find out about Courtney. Not while she had something to say about it.

She wrote on the paper, hoping that Spencer wouldn't get frustrated-but knew the other girl would be. _"Sorry, Spence, but I can't risk anyone working for –A find out what happened. I will tell you, but we have to be far away from where anyone might be listening or watching."_

Seeing the predictable annoyance cross Spencer's face, Alison sighed, writing again. _"I can tell you other things. When Hanna was in the hospital? When Emily was stuck in that shed with the exhaust fumes? Both times I was there."_ Spencer looked at her skeptically, before taking the pen again and started writing. _"Aria said you were at her house. That she saw you and that you knocked Meredith unconscious before Emily, Hanna and Maya got there."_

Alison nodded, smiling. She wrote down. _"Yes. That happened. I didn't count on you seeing me that night. And I was planning on getting out of there after I figured out a way of trapping Meredith. I wasn't counting on Aria waking up and seeing me. But since she was drugged, I thought maybe she'd shrug it off as a hallucination."_

Spencer nodded, thinking for a moment. She wrote down again. _"Why did you leave? Are you in hiding because –A was threatening you?"_

Alison looked at Spencer sadly. Ah, that question. It was an understandable question. The girls had found out –A had been threatening her. So now it was only reasonable to assume that that was why she had left. Alison shook her head.

It was true, -A _had_ succeeded in shaking her up, but she had been planning on leaving long before that. She wrote down on the paper. _"No. No that's not it. –A scared me for a while, but I was going to leave anyway. My parents, my brother, they were"_

Alison hesitated, looking at Spencer who was watching her with great interest. Could she really admit this to Spencer? Admit the shame that she had felt. It had taken her forever to confess to Miyako, Renee, the Bakers, Mercedes, Adrianna and the sensates and the rest of the Redcoats what exactly Jessica and Jason had done to her. It had taken forever for that shame to be pushed away for her to say it. Could she confess it to Spencer?

She somehow willed herself to write it down. _"My mother was abusive. She drank a lot. Yelled a lot. Hit a lot. My brother got high and did nothing while his creepy friends tried to take advantage of me. He was even pretty abusive sometimes himself as I'm sure you remember. And my father did nothing. Not ever. I was planning on leaving a while before the first message –A ever sent to me."_

Alison suspected she knew what was coming next, but still, nothing prepared her for the hurt look thrown at her. Spencer wrote down, pain across her features, _"And you didn't think about us? For even a second? You didn't even think about us? About me? About Emily? Or about Hanna and Aria?"_

Alison winced. Yes she had. She had thought about them. It had been hard to near impossible to not think about them at least once every day.

At the accusation in Spencer's hurt eyes, Alison kept writing. _"I did think about you four. Every day. I thought about how better off you were without me. I thought things would be okay without me being here. I thought the four of you would be okay. And for three years, Spencer, you were. I had no idea that –A would start to terrorize you."_

Spencer read the words and Alison looked at the brunette, hoping the other would understand. That maybe the other realized that she _had_ been considering the girls. She had. And she knew that she had more than likely been selfish for just leaving them. But hadn't they been better off without her? At least for three years? Aria had had a peaceful life in Iceland with her family, no threat of her father's infidelity being hung over her head. Hell, Aria hadn't even known about the BPO base there. And after it had been destroyed by Alison and the others, there was no threat at all in Iceland anymore. Emily and Hanna got to do what they wanted without Alison's constant teasing and bullying. And Spencer could enjoy life, do her sports, live independently of Alison's tyranny.

It had never been a nice thought, throughout her whole time being gone, but Alison had thought many times over those four years that maybe, just maybe all four Spencer, Emily, Hanna and Aria were better off without her. As she started feeling more empathy for people and less need to impress others all for her own worth, these questions became louder and more potent. Every now and then, during that time, she would go and check on the girls and make sure that they were alright. Aria of course had been in Iceland (not that that had stopped Alison from checking on Aria after she, the sensates and the others destroyed the BPO base in Iceland), but Alison had checked on Spencer, Emily and Hanna regularly.

Spencer's face contorted, eyes vivid with pain, making Alison wince, heart hurting. It took everything she had not to wrap her arms around the brunette. Forgetting or just ignoring the paper, Spencer said hoarsely, "Okay? Alison, we weren't okay! Do you have any idea how long it took me to get on my own feet after you disappeared! I thought you were dead! And Hanna became friends with Mona! You know what happened with that. Aria went to Iceland and acts like she can handle it, but it hurts her just like it does all of us. And Emily loved you! I think she still loves you!"

Alison cringed, letting Spencer see her emotions. She wasn't going to hide her feelings from Spencer. The brunette deserved these answers. It hurt hearing that she had put Spencer and the others through this, but she had caused this pain, so she needed to deal with the consequences. It hurt not just knowing that Spencer had gone through this, but knowing also that Emily still loved her. She couldn't love the swimmer the way Emily loved her. "I know." Alison said quietly, fighting her guilt as she thought of Emily, "And I'm sorry. I thought…I know nothing I'll ever do or say will make up for it. At the time, I was just happy that Hanna had a friend like Mona. I had no idea about her involvement with –A. I didn't. And I thought maybe you girls were happy that I couldn't bully, threaten, manipulate or harass you anymore, so I…I stayed away."

Spencer stared, mouth dropping open. The brunette closed her mouth and tried to speak again, but after a few moments, she almost growled. "You don't know what you're saying. We never were happy that you were gone. I was never happy that you were gone." Alison smiled sadly. It was kind of Spencer to say that, but even so, Alison detected the lie. Even if she hadn't been able to, she knew it was a lie.

"Weren't you, though?" The blonde pressed gently, "Even if you would have gone looking for me if you knew for sure I was alive, wasn't a part of you happy I was gone?" Alison tried to hold back the pained smile, but she was guessing that she wasn't succeeding from the look of surprise on Spencer's face. It hurt to say, and to admit to her past problems, but she had the spine to do it now. "I think all of the girls, to a certain extent were happy I was gone. Maybe they'd have denied it, but you all were. And I'm sure you all were plenty sad too, but I know a part of all of you were happy. I don't blame any of you at all. I wasn't an easy person to hang out with or get along with at all. I know."

Alison hesitated before adding, "I had a lot of problems. My brother and his creepy friends, my mother's expectations, drinking and abuse. And my father's neglect. But none of it excuses how I treated you girls and I'm so sorry for everything." Spencer looked like she was having a hard time absorbing this. Alison really couldn't blame her. How could anyone easily take learning that someone they had thought died four years ago was still alive? And spouting the exact opposite of what she had been saying four years prior?

Just about anyone would need a break to process that.

Spencer was looking at Alison as if she was trying to detect any lie, find any deceit, but the shock increased when the brunette clearly found none. Her jaw dropped. "I need to…" Spencer mumbled, sitting down on the bed, still staring at the blonde. Alison breathed out, smiling sadly, "I know this is a lot to take in." Spencer glowered, "A lot doesn't even cover it, Ali."

Alison nodded. "I know, I know." She slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, facing Spencer fully. "When you want to start writing again, tell me." Spencer sucked in a breath and released it quickly. "Now, Ali. I want to talk again now. I want answers." Alison tried not to sigh, unable to keep the fond smile off her face. "Of course you do. I wouldn't expect anything less from you than wanting to get down to the answers. Alright." Alison offered the pen to Spencer again, putting the paper down in front of the brunette.

After a few seconds of being stared at by the brunette, Spencer trying to figure out what the hell was going on here, she started writing down on the paper.

" _If you know any more of the "A" group members, you need to tell me."_

Alison sat back at that. Of course that was the first thing she was going to ask next. "Alright," Alison began, sending a reassuring smile to the brunette as she read what Spencer wrote. She took the pen and paper and started to write. _"Firstly, I want to establish something. I know what you think. But I'm not ordering Toby and Mona or any of the –A Team members around. That's not what Redcoat is, and please remember that. I'm not your enemy, Spencer. I care too much about you for that."_ She watched as Spencer's eyebrows flew up and watched as Spencer searched her face, trying to find evidence of any deception or lies. Alison restrained a light laugh. "I'm not going to lie to you about this," Alison said gently, "I've been trying to stop –A too. I know I've done a shit job, but I am trying."

Spencer looked curiously at the other girl. Weak hands grabbed Alison's left elbow, startling the blonde and making warmth spread through her chest and stomach. "Who, Alison?" Spencer demanded, and Alison offered the paper. Spencer sighed, grabbing the pen, writing, _"Who else is on the A-Team besides Mona and Toby? If you're really not –A, then you really have to tell me. Now."_ Alison sighed, almost wincing. She couldn't risk being heard. It was no secret by this point that Spencer knew about Toby, but the other A-Team members? That would still give Lucas, Wilden, Melissa and possibly Wren too time to hide. Jenna wouldn't be a surprise to anyone, but the others were a different story.

She started writing, _"You've already seen most of them. Possibly all of them. One of them, Hanna and Caleb are good friends with. Those pictures of you at the graveyard, who do you think took them? Lucas Gottesman is the only one you know of with a camera that he uses nearly fanatically."_ She watched as Spencer tensed, shocked eyes looking to Alison. Alison continued writing, _"One of them, I don't think you'll be surprised by. It's Darren Wilden. That's why he can't be trusted. He is part of the A-Team."_ Alison hesitated in her last words, taking a breath before scribbling down again, _"And one of them is your older sister."_

Alison pulled away from the paper, watching the effects her words had, wanting to see how Spencer took this. The brown-haired girl narrowed her eyes and the confusion in those orbs told Alison that her dear brilliant girl was absorbing this huge piece of information and it was going to probably take a while before she had a reaction. Not that Alison could blame the other girl.

Still, Alison found more gentle words coming out, keeping her voice low, to a near whisper as she leaned close again, "I know it's hard to read this. I'm sorry." She started writing again, _"But Melissa is one of them. She was part of what happened the night at the grave."_ Spencer's eyes became huge. Alison kept writing as if she couldn't stop telling Spencer what she knew, now that the secret about Melissa was out in the open. Maybe it was her own nature to spread rumors around previously or maybe she just wanted Spencer to finally know the truth, but she just couldn't seem to stop writing. _"And she's the reason why Mona was able to get out as many times as she did from Radley."_ Now she watched this new information processed by Spencer and the brunette nearly shot up off where she sat on the bed, till Alison tried to steady the other girl again, hands on the brunette's shoulders. "Whoa, hey, slow down," She said gently, "Easy." Her hands traveled back to the pen and paper and started writing. _"Yes, Mona got out a few times in Radley. And I'm pretty sure she had help from your sister."_

 _And mine._

Alison tried not to wince in guilt at the thought, thankfully not having written it down. If Courtney was indeed with the A-Team, how much had she been involved in letting Mona get out from Radley? Had she provided the cards? Stolen them? Found secret passageways as Alison and her group had? If Courtney had in fact been locked up in Radley once, then it wouldn't be a surprise that the girl had found a way out.

After all, if there was anyone who could find secret passages and escape locations in a place like Radley, it was a DiLaurentis. Spencer shook her head, not believing this. "No." She protested, "You're lying. But why should I be surprised by that?" The brunette gave Alison a dark look that made Alison feel like she had been slapped, "I should really know by now that everything you say is a lie. Just one of your little games. This is no different."

Alison steeled herself so that she didn't show just how much Spencer's words were hurting her and said firmly, "Here's the problem with that, Spencer. Sure, I told my fair share of lies, but not everything I said was a lie. I alluded to things; even though I didn't tell you the whole truth. Not telling you guys things or not telling you the whole truth isn't the same as a lie." Alison locked eyes with Spencer for a moment before writing. " _I'm not lying now. You were suspicious of Melissa once. Why can't you accept that she's not to be trusted now? Don't tell me her sob story about her baby convinced you. I assure you, no one threatened her to wear that costume. She chose to of her own free will. And she knew about the NAT club, and the videos they took, but did nothing. She didn't go to the police, she didn't take the videos to any of our parents, nothing."_

She almost mentioned that Cece had seen Melissa, with Jenna, had taken Garret's body and dragged it off to be put in that crate with an unconscious Aria on the train, but held her tongue. Spencer was absorbing enough as it was right now. And besides, she wasn't about to alert any of –A's goons to Cece's involvement, assuming they didn't already suspect the older blonde. She observed Spencer, seeing how the brunette took to Alison knowing this. The brainiac's eyes darted around as if she couldn't wrap her mind around this. She mumbled, eyes hardening, "I don't believe you." Alison ignored more pangs at the sight of Spencer's glare and sighed, looking down at the paper as she wrote. _"Believe me, or don't. I can't blame you either way. But it is the truth. Your sister can't be trusted. Neither can Lucas. I don't think any of you are surprised about Jenna. But I'm sorry to tell you, Spencer, Melissa can't be trusted."_

Alison tried not to show her guilt as she watched Spencer's face pale even more and those dark eyes becoming wary and wet and dear god, Alison had to fight harder than ever to stop herself from yanking Spencer into her arms and digging her fingers into those dark, tied locks, from crying into Spencer's neck, telling the brunette how much she had missed Spencer. The brunette finally lifted herself fully up, face inches from Alison's, not helping the blonde's resolve at all as Spencer's next words on the paper as she grabbed the pen and paper faltered as the girl's hands shook, _"You swear? Melissa's part of –A's team?"_ Alison winced. Spencer's eyes looked so damn hollow. She nodded. "I'm sorry, Spencer. I'm so sorry."

Spencer shot her eyes away, those orbs staring at the floor, face hardening. "The horrible thing is," The brunette started, "I think I always knew. Melissa once told me that she saw some videos and that they made us look pretty bad. She basically implied that she knew about the videos and hasn't done anything at all about it." Spencer grimaced, "I think I knew, but didn't want to admit it." Alison sighed sadly, not caring that Spencer was saying the words instead of writing them. Spencer needed to get this out, and Alison didn't care how the other girl did it. Still, her hands were twitching as if ready to embrace the other girl. She needed to restrain the urge to comfort, but that was not easy at all with how fragile Spencer was right now.

Alison opened her mouth to say that she was sorry, but how could that come even close to helping the poor girl? Spencer turned back to Alison, still pained, "If you're not dead, who's in your grave? Are you sure you don't know?" Alison closed her mouth, accepting this question. She personally couldn't blame Spencer for the question. There was someone dead in that mausoleum, and it clearly wasn't Alison. The question was more than reasonable.

Unfortunately, that was one answer she couldn't give right now. She smiled grimly. "Sorry, Spence, that's another answer I don't know. I wish I did. I really wish I did. Either way." Alison felt guilt start to hit her again, "That girl was a victim. I wouldn't wish what happened to her on anyone." Well, okay, _that_ was a lie. She wished that fate could happen on a number of people in this town, and outside of the town, but Spencer didn't need to hear that violent little detail.

Spencer seemed to be absorbing everything and taking it carefully. The brunette cocked her head at Alison, looking at the other suspiciously, eyes still wet from the pain of what she believed about Melissa, "If I texted Emily, Hanna and Aria and told them to come over here and see that you're alive, would you run?" Alison couldn't keep back a small laugh. Now that Spencer knew, she naturally wanted the other three girls to know. She shook her head. "You've already seen me. You know I'm alive now. So I see no reason to run off. What would be the point? Call them. Text them. Go ahead. I'm not going to ask you to keep me being alive a secret. You've already had to deal with that enough. So go ahead." Alison shrugged, realizing that this was probably it. She was going to have to see all of them. A reunion. For better or for worse, a reunion. She'd just have to keep the "others" a secret from the four of them.

Alison, out of impulse by this point, took a glance at the straps of her backpack, still stuck to her back. Maybe, when they weren't being watched or listened to, she could show Spencer and the others her and Courtney's birth certificate. If that was the only way to prove it, she'd do it. She thought about what else was in the pack and pushed the thought away. No. Spencer was never, ever, _ever_ going to see her Radley file, never. The longer Spencer could be kept safe from knowing she had been in that place, the better.

 **(Page break)**

Charles slipped in through the ajar back door of the house, closing and locking it. He scoped around the house. "Cour?" He called out, "You here?" He scouted down the dark hall. He saw no human shape. He frowned. Had she gone out? It wasn't too strange. Courtney came and went as she pleased. No one dictated her actions. Not even that _man…_

Charles looked up the stairs before hearing footsteps behind him. A gentle hand lay on his shoulder, making him turn around quickly. A smile crossed his face. "Hello, auntie." Jessica DiLaurentis took a step back, observing her nephew. "You were out for a while." She said in a disapproving tone. "Oh aunt Jessica," Charles chortled, "You should know that late is relative. And good luck trying to get Cour to stay at home any day or night." Jessica snorted, "I suppose you're right. But my little youngest child would probably break my jaw if I told her to stay at home." The woman walked past her son and went to the sofa bed, sitting down. "You've had dinner, right?" Charles smirked, walking over, "You know I have. Since when has anyone been able to keep me from dinner? And we may have to move to…..severe actions."

Jessica lifted her head, lips pursed. "Severe actions?" She asked, "Against who, dear?" Charles smirked. "Wilden. Darren Wilden. He's become too much of a liability. Not to us though. To your other daughter." Jessica seemed surprised. "I see." The woman said, "How's that? Did he find out that she's-?"

"Nah." Charles shook his head, "But he's being rubbed the wrong way by a rumor one of the Redcoats spilled. So we might have to get rid of him. He's becoming too much of a danger. Worrying about his own hide so much that he almost shot Ashley Marin." Jessica couldn't hold back a scoff. "Really? That's pathetic." Charles walked over and dropped down across from his aunt on the couch. "We might have an ally in one of the Redcoats." He pushed, hoping to see her reaction. The startled woman looked at Charles. "Cece. She knows about me." Jessica stood up, dropping the magazine in her hands. "You let her see you?"

"Was there a reason I shouldn't have? She cares about Alison too." Charles shot back, looking up at his aunt in point. The woman sighed, glancing down at her nails carefully. "I suppose there's nothing I can do to convince you not to trust any of the Redcoats, but you won't listen to me anyway. But you shouldn't trust that girl. She and Alison were too close for my comfort."

Charles smirked, a teasing tone in his voice. "You mean Alison listened more to Cece than to you?" At the harsh glare he received from Jessica, he laughed "Exactamundo. Since when have I ever listened to anyone outside of Cour?" Jessica shrugged. "Speaking of which," Charles chuckled, walking towards his aunt, "Where _is_ our beloved lunatic? Wasn't she supposed to be back by now?" Jessica snorted, getting up and picking the cell phone that was laying down on the marble table in front of her up in her hands and checked the various threatening texts she had sent. "If you barely listen to anyone, that girl listens to _no one_."

"Oh I'm not _that_ bad, mother." A voice purred behind Charles, making both him and Jessica whirl around. Standing outside the front screen door, was a hooded, masked figure. The figure walked through the screen door, slamming it shut behind her. Charles asked with amusement and Jessica with apprehension as she always did around Courtney. Courtney reached a black gloved hand up to her face and pulled the mask off, revealing a heart-shaped face with a scar running from her forehead down the bridge of her nose to the beginning of her right cheek.

"Hi, mom. Hey, Charles." Courtney smirked, walking closer, going around her smiling brother, dropping down on the sofa chair across from her aunt and propping her legs up on the table between them, heels slamming down on the blue marble, smirking at the two. "How are things, huh?" Courtney's tone was cocky. "How was flirting with the enemy, brother?"

Charles looked surprised. "What do you mean?" Courtney laughed, hand not holding her mask pulling her hood back, letting her light blonde, nearly white hair fall out, down to her shoulders. "Oh please, brother. You're not the only one that knows how to stalk people. So tell, me are you gonna see if Cece sleeps with you?" The girl's words came out crude and sneering. Charles narrowed his eyes at the girl. "You were following us?"

"Of course I was." Courtney cackled, laugh eerie to anyone outside of Jessica and Charles who were used to it by now. "I saw you and I saw Cece. I figured, what were the chances that I was going to see a friendly chat between the two of you again? So I followed you. Surely, brother," Courtney looked at Charles slyly, "Surely you knew I was watching." Charles snorted. Maybe he should have known. The girl was like a little snake creeping about. Jessica spoke up, eyeing her son, "Wait, Charles, just what are you doing now? I thought you said you'd take Wilden's car and drive it through someone's house? Wasn't that what was ordered of you?"

"Well, yeah." Charles grumbled, throwing his hands up, turning to his aunt. "That _was_ the plan, but Wilden did something to his car so it wouldn't budge. After I dumped Wilden off at his house and Cece and I split, I went back for the car. It didn't happen. He put some lock on his car. I couldn't move it."

There was a shrill, hysterical laugh from the sofa chair, making both Jessica and Charles jump and turn to the third of their party. The grinning Courtney tilted her head at Charles. "Oh, brother." She sneered, "You know I know how to fuck with stuff like that, right? After you left the second time, I went to the car and undid the lock that Wilden had on it. Hanna and Ashley have the car now." Charles stared at his sister. "What?" He demanded. "You undid the lock? But what about the Marins? They have the car so-"

"So what?" Courtney remarked dryly, bright blue eyes flashing dangerously at her brother, "If they get caught with it, well then that's on them. They'll be put away for theft of a vehicle, and not just any vehicle," A dark grin crossed the mad girl's face, "A cop car! So yeah, Hanniekins and her mama will be fucked. But that's not my main concern here. My main concern, Charles, is that _they_ find out that you've been hanging out with a Redcoat recently." Courtney was practically leering at Charles from her seat. Charles sighed, glancing at his mother as he sat. "They won't find out if no one opens their mouths. And Cece's getting rid of the recording, so no one will hear us talking."

Courtney glowered. "And you just trust Cece?"

Charles snorted. "I trust her a lot more than I do people on the A-Team. Especially Grant and Oliver." He turned and scowled at Jessica, "And far more than you." Jessica glared at her nephew but said nothing. Courtney smirked. "Well, those three are obvious choices to not trust." Courtney pulled her legs away from the table and sat up fully, reaching into her right pocket and pulling out her switchblade. It was black, with a snow-white skeleton imprinted on the front and back. Both skeletons bore scythes that they held in bone hands, high above their skulls like weapons about to be brought down.

Courtney smiled wickedly and pressed a button on the switchblade and the skinny, silver, gleaming blade snapped up. Courtney grinned, keeping the blade of the knife inches away from her right eye. "Tell me, brother, do we plan on killing Wilden first chance we get?" Charles nodded. "That is a plan. I just thought it would be a bad idea to kill him after he had had such a close encounter with Ashley Marin. Unless we actually want to frame her?" Courtney barked out, "Who cares?!" She slammed the knife down at the black wooden leg of the table. The blade landed with a "thunk" into the soft wood, sticking up. Courtney leaned forward, grabbing the knife and pulled it out and slammed it back into the leg again.

Courtney growled as she moved, pulling the knife out and throwing it at the table leg again. "Wilden is dangerous. If he's a threat to my sister or to Spencer, he needs to die. I don't care who is framed along the way. Besides." Courtney looked up from her knife at Charles, pausing her threatening actions, "Aren't you supposed to be taking care of the A-Team. What is it you've done? Tried to kill Jenna twice and failed? You tried to kill Lucas and failed? And oh yeah, that Garret thing on the train, that wasn't even you! You're not doing a very good job, doofus." Charles crossed his arms over his chest, not the least bit phased by his sister's insult.

Jessica glared. "Courtney! Don't talk to your brother like that."

"Ooh," Courtney giggled in that way that made Jessica freeze, thinking it wasn't such a good idea to speak loudly to the psychopath in the room, "Look who's getting all self-righteous after sleeping with her neighbor's husband." Courtney glanced up at Jessica, grinning at the woman's stiff, wide-eyed look. "Here's the difference between me and Ali and you, mother." Courtney continued, voice dripping with disdain, "I've accepted that my sister and I want the same person. I certainly would never try to take Spencer from Ali. And I'd hope she wouldn't do the same." Courtney's grin stretched into a Cheshire cat grin, "But I sure as hell wouldn't go behind Ali's back like you and Peter went behind Veronica's back. Or like when aunt Mary and Kenneth went behind your back. Be honest, mother. Did Kenneth even know it was you and not aunt Mary when he married you?"

Jessica stood up sharply and stared down at Courtney, looking ready to lift a hand to strike the girl. Courtney's grin stayed plastered to her face. "Go on." The blonde whispered to her aunt. "Do it." Courtney waved her switchblade around as if to emphasize her words. What she didn't say was, _Go ahead. Do it. And see what happens._

Jessica knew damn well what would happen if she raised a hand to this animal. She could feel the frightened gaze from her nephew stuck on her, terrified that she might do something that would set the beast off. In the end, Jessica knew there was nothing she could do. She just glared at the seated girl and walked away, fast. Smirking, Courtney turned back to Charles, still fiddling with her switchblade. "That was a good idea on her part, don't you think, brother?" Charles withheld anything he was going to say. Courtney was right of course.

Anyone who struck Courtney DiLaurentis, couldn't expect to live to see the next day.

"Really, Cour." Charles shook his head. "One day one of you is going to die in a confrontation." "Well, we both know who that one will be, don't we?" Courtney smirked. "I'll bring flowers to her grave. Honest. Besides," Courtney's eyes narrowed predatorily, looking up the stairs where Jessica had disappeared, "We are keeping to the plan of what to do with Jessica after this is all over, aren't we?" She looked at Charles grinning and Charles couldn't keep a murderous grin off his face either.

They had come to an agreement. When this was over, for Jessica helping to separate Courtney and Alison, for locking Courtney up and for abusing Alison for years, and not doing anything when Jason and his friends were over, Jessica was going to die. It was simple as that. Jessica thought she'd survive this story? Oh no, she was not going to.

Charles smiled, despite himself. He rose up from the couch. "Cece," He began, "She is to be trusted. She loves Ali very much. I can tell. I think if there's any of the Redcoats who will stay out of our way and let us eliminate every last one of the A-Team, it'll be her. She might even join us at some point." Courtney snorted. "You wish. Oh, Charles, one thing? If you're going to kill the A-Team members quicker than you've actually been doing, save Wren for me." Courtney tilted the blade of the knife towards her, the tip of the blade tracing down her scar. "I have a score to settle with that little limey."

"Understood." Charles said, turning and walking towards the staircase. "Oh, brother?" Courtney called over, slowly getting up from the chair. "Are there any farms nearby?" Charles almost fell over at the odd question. "Yes." He said, turning to the blonde lunatic. "Why?" Did he even _want_ to know? Courtney smirked at the man. "Are there any pigs in that farm and where is the farm." Charles had a pretty bad idea of where this was going. He didn't mind killing as long as it was a means to an end. But his sister could just be plain cruel, and came up with things that really belonged in a torture facility or something.

"It's the Campbell place. Off Hook road and near Dallas avenue. And I guess there are. Sis, what are you planning?" Charles watched as the smirking Courtney started shuffling off, still holding her switchblade close. "Five words and a name, Charles." Courtney grinned, walking toward the kitchen with a slow, uncaring movement, swaying back and forth as she moved. "Wilden's the name. And the five words? Cop car. Dead pig. And trunk."

Charles snorted. "Nope, nope. Don't want to know." Courtney laughed. "I just told you. And at least we don't have to worry about the other A-Team members listening in on our sister." Courtney reached into her pocket with her left hand, right still holding the switchblade and she pulled out a small black communication device, slipping it over her ear and listening in, grin widening. Charles squinted, not understanding. "What's happening?" "Oh nothing," Courtney giggled, flipping her switchblade up and down in the air and catching it, "Ali's just talking to Spencer. They think the other A-Team members are watching, but I ordered them to steer clear of the area after what Jenna did."

"Jenna?" Charles asked, perking his head up, remembering Cece's warnings of him leaving her "brother's" girlfriend alone. "Yeah," Courtney almost growled, "The bitch told me through text that she put a plunger through the handles of Spencer's shower while the steamer was on." Courtney stopped flipping the switchblade of her knife, grabbed it and threw it hard at the floor, the knife stabbing into the wood, hilt shaking on impact. Courtney looked up at Charles, grinning viciously, "I was going to go there to take the plunger out. Ali got there first, though. Jenna, I'm gonna kill her when I get my hands on her, for what she did to Spencer."

Charles didn't say anything, knowing that any protest would give information that he didn't want to. Jenna needed to be kept safe if he wanted to have Cece's trust. There was one thing Courtney was not good at, and that was keeping allies. Her mood swings were too unpredictable for that.

Deciding to distract the girl, he asked quickly, "And no one else is listening in to Spencer and Alison right now? None of the other A-Team members?" "Oh please," Courtney snorted, leaning into the communication device she was wearing, hearing her sister's voice, _"I'm sorry, Spencer. I'm so sorry."_

Courtney grinned, "As if I'd let any of the others listen in on this. No, what Spencer and Alison are saying right now are completely safe. From everyone else. Just not me right now." Courtney flashed a huge smile and her eyes went up the stairs again. "Do we have everything in place for when we're going to, you know." Courtney sliced across her own throat with her empty right hand in emphasis and Charles nodded. He wasn't delusional. Jessica might have been by blood Courtney's mother, but soon, the woman would meet an end as horrible as the one she had almost subjected her oldest daughter to that night when she had been willing to bury Alison alive.

 **Author's note:**

 **Awesome1: I know, seriously. I know I said this at the beginning of this chapter, but I just can't believe it. Marlene expects us to believe that Cece, a character that loved Alison so much that she risked jail time to see Alison on Christmas Eve to give Ali a gift and warn the girl is the same person as the monster that attacked Ali and nearly choked her that night, all because she didn't obey? That's complete B.S.. Just Marlene's way of destroying what I think is one of the truest relationships in that show, and getting rid of Alison's already small support system in the show. But like I've said, Marlene King is misogynistic, so I shouldn't be surprised.**

 **Kaito2150: Yep good to see. And there's only a question of how the other three girls will take it. As for Courtney and Charles, well, Jessica's dead meat as long as they're around for what she did to Ali that night.**

 **Oh and that thing at the end of season 4 where Mona was involved with making Alison leave Rosewood? Yeah, that doesn't happen here. Mona doesn't know shit. Which would be pretty easy for me to imagine. Seriously, people actually thinks Mona's cool? Sorry, i have issues with that sociopath. Cough, cough: season 5.**


	27. When you're not trusted

**Warnings for mentions of abuse and drinking, violence and scars**

 **Chapter 27: When you're not trusted**

Courtney listened in attentively, leaning in, keeping the communication link to her ear, smirking as she listened, twirling her switchblade in her left hand. _"If I texted Emily, Hanna and Aria and told them to come over here and see that you're alive, would you run?"_ Courtney froze. Oh, that might be a problem. Not that it would necessarily fuck up her plans, but where would be the fun? Besides, her plans were a little too specific for her to want any interference from Emily, Hanna or Aria. No, she couldn't tolerate this now, could she? Slamming her knife down again, blade sticking into the wood of the floor, hilt shaking again, she reached into her pocket, retrieving her phone and the small portable camera.

Attaching the communication device around her ear, keeping it there as she heard her sister laugh and then speak, _"You've already seen me. You know I'm alive now. So I see no reason to run off. What would be the point? Call them. Text them. Go ahead."_

Courtney growled. She was not going to allow that at all. Turning on the camera, and rewinding the footage she acquired of Hanna and Ashley Marin in Wilden's car, after Charles and Cece had left, she turned on her phone and held it over the screen, recording the footage.

When Courtney had followed her brother out, following Cece, she hadn't recorded the two of them together. And she hadn't even bothered with Charles when he had come back to try to hijack the car, only to be thwarted by whatever technological technique Wilden had used to make sure his car wouldn't be stolen. However, after Charles left the car again, Courtney got into the vehicle and messed around with it, getting it to be much more vulnerable to theft. What she _had_ recorded, both before Charles and Cece came out and saw Wilden lying unconscious on the ground and after Charles had left, was Hanna and Ashley coming to the scene and taking Wilden's car. And before that, she had run out to the scene between Wilden and Ashley and recorded it.

She had recorded Wilden yelling and threatening Hanna. She had recorded Ashley hitting Wilden with her car. And she now had the footage of Hanna and Ashley driving off with Wilden's car. Courtney smirked, recording all of it a second time on her phone from the camera screen. Of course there was nothing of either Charles or Cece on either the camera or the phone, but plenty of damning evidence to use against the Marin family.

She then, after the recording was done, put the camera back in her pocket, and called up Spencer's number, starting to text, planning to send the footage as an attachment with her warning.

 **(Page break)**

Hearing what Alison said, Spencer was still tense, but she figured if she texted Hanna, Emily and Aria now, that would give them time to come over and both she and Alison could get the story, whatever the heck it was straight. She wasn't about to text them what it was about. As Alison had said, they were being listened in on. But just a simple "S.O.S" would do.

Taking another cautious look at Alison who waited patiently for Spencer's next action, the brunette, who was having a hard time absorbing everything and anything right now, (she was still accepting the fact that Alison was still alive) let alone that Alison seemed completely different from the girl she had known four years ago, sighed and pulled out her phone, deciding to text Aria first.

Just when she was about to send her "S.O.S," a "ping" from her phone alerted her to a new text. Both Spencer and Alison tensed when they heard the noise. Spencer slowly looked up from her phone and met Alison's guarded blue eyes. "I sure as hell didn't send any text." Alison just said, eyes traveling to the phone, just as anticipating as Spencer was. Spencer took a breath and clicked back to the main screen of her phone and pressed her texts again. Her grip on her phone tightened.

A blocked number.

" _Don't even think about it, Spence. You squeal about Ali being alive to any of your three amigos, and Hannakins is going to be wearing some real Gucci jail wear. Oh, and so will Mama Marin. Go on, Spence, do it. I dare you. And by the way? This gag order is for Ms. "I'm back from the Dead " too So don't even think about it, Ali-A"_

There was an attachment with the message. Spencer could feel her throat go completely dry. She looked up at Alison and turned the phone around, showing Alison the message. She watched Alison's eyes widen. The confusion on Alison's face, which Spencer really hoped wasn't faked, told the brunette that Alison supposedly had nothing to do with this. Alison looked at Spencer, stunned. "What is –A talking about?" Alison asked, staring down at the phone. "Do you know?"

Her heart pounding, Spencer turned the phone back to herself and she clicked on the attachment. The attachment opened, playing a video. She shifted so that the phone was facing herself and Alison. It was a dark photo, with trees, but the light from two vehicles allowed both girls to see the two people in the video.

The first thing they saw was Ashley Marin run from Darren Wilden and get into her car.

" _If you don't shut Hanna up, I will!"_ Wilden screamed from the phone, reaching for his gun. What happened next brought forth shocked gasps from both girls. Ashley charged in her car, making Wilden fly over her car and drop into the dirt right in front of his own car. Spencer covered her mouth with her free hand. Alison's lower jaw had dropped. The video blipped, letting them know that the video ended there, then played into another video. This one was marked with the numbers signifying that it was hours later. Ashley drove up to the police car and both she and Hanna got out. They looked around the scene, trying to find Wilden, but he was gone.

Alison's eyes narrowed. "Where is he?"

"Think I know?" Spencer whispered, eyes glued to the screen, wondering what the heck Hanna had done that –A was implying she'd go to jail over.

Hanna and Ashley after not finding anything, got into Wilden's car and drove off.

The video ended, leaving an uneasy silence in the room till another "ping" was heard. Spencer moved to her texts, finding the new message. She clicked on it.

" _Get the point, Spence?-A"_ Was the message, practically slamming any door for any doubt that Spencer might have had previously about what –A was hinting at doing if Spencer went against his or her orders.

Alison's jaw clenched. –A, Courtney or whoever the hell, was threatening to send this to the police. Send Hanna to jail. Anger fanned in her, making words spit out in fury, "Koshinuke! Kono yarou!" Spencer sat back from Alison, looking at the blonde, startled. Alison gauged Spencer's face, seeing that the only thing that could be described as Spencer's questioning look was, _What the fuck?_

Alison barely got out her small laugh. "Sorry. I just used Japanese curse words." She explained, not sure if that would even begin to articulate where she had been the past four years, and at seeing Spencer's lifted eyebrows and perturbed expression, she was guessing she knew that assumption was correct. She sighed, looking back at the phone, trying to push aside her anger at –A for what "they" had done.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the two girls shifted away from each other and Spencer turned to Alison. "What…what do I do?" Spencer asked, having turned back to stare at the message, not caring that she was asking someone she was still suspicious of, just needing some answer here.

She heard a voice that was just as unsettled as her own. "I don't know." Alison answered. "It's your choice. But be honest, when has –A bluffed about these things?" Spencer tried not to shudder. She hated to say it, but Alison was right. If she sent a message to any of the other three girls, she might really be risking sending Hanna and the other girl's mom to jail. She couldn't risk that. She just couldn't.

Without even thinking, her fingers acting of their own accord, Spencer replayed the videos all over again. When they got to the scene where Hanna drove off in Wilden's car, Spencer sighed. "Oh Hanna, you didn't…"

Alison kept her eyes on Spencer. "So, what are you going to do, Spencer?" She asked, and Spencer snapped her gaze up to the blonde's startled at the understanding look being given to her. "I trust your judgment. If that message had just been for you, Spencer, then I might have tried to see if I could send a message." Alison looked grimly down at the phone. "But –A knew I was here and made that message for both of us. Makes me think that we _are_ being listened in on."

A few seconds later, there was another ping from Spencer's phone, making the brunette glower at it as she opened the message.

" _And the million dollar prize goes to Alison DiLaurentis, ladies and gentlemen! Brilliant deduction!-A."_

Alison and Spencer turned to each other, both of them pale. "Hell." Alison grumbled, glowering at the phone. "What do you want to do, Spencer?"

Spencer let out the words, glaring at the phone, "We can't risk Hanna or her mom going to jail. I'm not going to text any of them." Spencer shifted her eyes to Alison and mouthed the word, _"yet."_

Alison smiled. There had to be a loophole that –A hadn't mentioned. She could think of one already. –A had said not tell the other girls. "They" hadn't said not to show herself. All she had to do was "accidentally" show herself to one of the other girls and there might be a wrench thrown into –A's plans. On the suspicion that Courtney likely could hear her thoughts, Alison put up a wall of sorts in front of those thoughts. She then met Spencer's eyes. "Now what? Your parents…and your sister are going to come home at some point."

Spencer's jaw clenched, eyes narrowing in thought. "My mom is going to be gone for a few days. Dad has business. Melissa…she might be a problem." Spencer looked at Alison, a gleam of realization in her eyes. "My nana's house. We can go there for a while." Alison cocked her head. That sounded like a good idea, but hadn't –A been at Spencer's nana's house more than a few times?

"Sure, okay." Alison began carefully, "But hasn't –A been at your grandmother's place? And what do you mean, "we?" Won't you missing cause suspicion? With your family and with the other girls? How do we even get there? I thought both of your cars were gone."

Spencer grumbled, putting her phone away, "We're both going. And we'll search the place first. But you're coming with me, Ali. I want to make sure you can't run off or anything. I'll give a call to my parents and sister or something. And the girls?" Spencer kept her face neutral in concentration. "As for the car thing. That won't be hard. Aria and Emily both drive. I can ask them to bring a car over so I can drop something off at my place. We'll take it from there."

Alison sighed, trying not to chuckle, "Spence, I'm sorry, but I can safely tell you that won't work." At Spencer's questioning look, Alison supplied, "If either Aria or Emily show up with the car and we take it, they'll ask why they can't come along or why they have to walk home. I have an idea, if you trust me on this, at least." Alison smiled at Spencer's curious look, and continued, "Let me contact one of my people. They'll drive us or give us the car to get to your nana's place." She couldn't risk bringing Spencer to Noel's cabin. –A had already barged through that place once, abducted Maya from there, and it would be putting both Maya and Noel in more danger. There was no way that Noel wouldn't be suspected by –A after the Radley thing this afternoon.

And a car from one of the others would avoid getting Aria, Emily and Hanna involved in this one particular incident right now, not to mention circumvent –A's wrath and keeping them from throwing Hanna and Ashley in jail. "Your people?" Spencer repeated, eyes narrowed, "Who are you talking about? The people that hid you?" Alison smiled as she thought of Maya. "No, I wouldn't risk them as I said, but one of them has already had a close run in with –A, so inevitably, she's already on –A's radar. I've…I guess recruited her is the right word. You know her already."

At the perplexed expression on Spencer's face, Alison pulled out her phone and started texting Maya St. Germaine.

 **(Page break)**

Maya had seen Emily speak with Paige McCullers. She wasn't jealous or anything like that. Emily had made it clear that she and Paige were just friends. When Emily had gone with Paige and Hanna this afternoon to the costume shop, they had said it was over something that happened on a train. Maya had heard from Noel that it was something –A had done on the train. While Emily had tried to hide what they were doing from Maya, the dark-skinned girl felt like her girlfriend just wasn't honest with her. She knew Emily felt like she was just trying to protect her, but it didn't feel good being lied to when she knew the truth.

When Emily had told Maya that she had just gone to check the costume, not adding any information about –A, though Maya knew that Emily was just trying to protect her, a part of her felt like she had been deliberately deceived. It wasn't a good feeling at all. Yes, Maya knew she was sort of doing it too, because of her involvement with the redcoats and not telling anyone about it, but she'd have thought after exposing a stalker that she would have proven to Emily and her friends that she could handle whatever secrets Emily and the others were hiding. But it didn't look like it was going to happen anytime soon.

And Emily trusted Paige more than she did Maya. Maya's skin always prickled painfully at the thought. She knew she hadn't been around, but that hadn't exactly been her fault. True, she said that she'd try to forget what Pam Fields had done, and there's no way Pam Fields could have known that it would happen, but it didn't change that if it hadn't been for Mrs. Fields, Maya wouldn't have been sent off to True North and she wouldn't have run into Lyndon James.

In some way, it made Maya even more grateful for her time, though limited with Alison DiLaurentis and Noel Kahn. There was a "ping" from her cell phone and Maya pulled her phone out, checking who it was. She stiffened. "Red." As the number was labeled. Alison DiLaurentis, or one of the others was contacting her.

The text said, _"Maya, sorry to bother you right now, but is there a chance you can get your car and drive it around to Spencer's place? You live right next door to her, so I was hoping that you could get your parents' car and drive to the Hastings' house and pick us up. There's a place we need to go for now. I hope you don't mind?"-Red_

Maya perked her head up, startled. Next door? Alison was next door? "We?" Did Spencer know about Alison? Maya got up from where she had sat on the bed and walked to the window, peering out across the area, feeling a little creepy by doing it, but wanting to see if Alison was really there. From the Hastings' window, where Spencer's room was. As soon as she did, Alison came by the window, dressed in a redcoat and waved, smiling. Spencer's head popped up and the brunette walked over, looking confused. Maya almost snorted hysterically. This got weirder and weirder. She nodded back and texted on the phone that she'd be right over as soon as she could.

She went down stairs quickly and told her brother, sister and parents that she had been invited to a party with Spencer and the others. Her parents, after feeling immense guilt over sending their daughter to that camp where she had run into her stalker, from then on never stopped encouraging their daughter to have friends, so Maya knew they wouldn't stop her.

Once she got out of the house, grabbing the car keys and headed for the car, she got in, started up and parked in front of the Hastings place, texting to Alison that she was there. Alison texted back not to leave the car, _"Whatever you do, Maya, don't leave the car alone. If –A's nearby, they might do something to the car. Don't leave it alone. We'll be right down."_

 **(Page break)**

At Spencer's befuddlement, Alison put her phone away and headed to the door, nodding to it as she looked at Spencer. "Come on. You wanted to find a safe place for me to go. You even said you want to make sure I can't run off. Let's go. Maya's waiting in the car." "Maya?" Spencer repeated, brain almost not functioning. Emily's girlfriend knew more about this than she and the other three did? Maya knew that Ali was alive? How? Then again, there seemed to be a lot that their respective others knew that they didn't.

At least if what Alison said about not being –A was true, at least Maya wasn't working for –A, not like _Toby_. At the thought of Toby, Spencer tried not to flinch. She didn't know what his reasoning was. If it had anything to do with what she had done or if it had something to do with Alison, all she knew now was that going back to him wasn't an option. She picked up the paper and pens and followed after Alison, grabbing her backpack as they headed down.

As they got to the door, Alison offered, "I'll explain how Maya's involved later. We need to go now though."

Spencer didn't answer, just followed. When they walked through the hallway, Alison held her arm out in front of Spencer, keeping the other girl from walking further. "Wait," Alison said gently, "-A was here before and locked you in the shower. Whoever it was might still be here." Spencer felt her muscles tense, eyes scanning the hall. As she looked around, she almost missed Alison reaching to the left side of her pants. Spencer looked at the action and watched Alison's gloved right hand pull something out by its hilt, revealing a gleaming, wide blade. Spencer's eyes went huge. That was a knife.

Alison had a knife on her.

Despite her shock, Alison kept looking around cautiously. "Let's go." Alison said, face fixed in an expression that sent a shiver down Spencer's back, the look on Alison's face reminding her of a soldier looking for the enemy. Alison's expression had gone from gentle and understanding to cold and fierce in a matter of a second. The change made Spencer feel cold. Only with people like Lucas and Toby had she ever seen Alison look that cold. Not even really. This was an entirely new, icy look.

Alison turned back to Spencer and nodded toward the stairs, her eyes catching Spencer's frightened face and immediately, Alison's icy expression softened. Guilt spilled back into blue eyes and Alison smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. I'm just being cautious. Let's go, Spence." Alison turned again, hand still on the knife hilt and walked to the stairs, Spencer walking after her, nervous. When they reached the top, Alison gestured for Spencer to go to the left of the stairs, standing protectively in front of Spencer still, eyes staying on the hallway and then looked down the stairs to see if anyone was approaching them. Still befuddled, Spencer went down the stairs, Alison following next to her, hand never leaving the hilt of her knife. When they got to the floor, Spencer started walking to the kitchen with her backpack.

"Spencer?" Alison asked curiously. "What are you-" "We need food while we're there." Spencer simply said, trying to ignore the absurdity of the whole situation. "Nana's house isn't just stocked up with food. We need provisions. Just stuff to stock up on till we know when we can go." Spencer opened the fridge and started piling stuff into her bag. Fruit, chips, water bottles, some sandwiches that her sister and father had made previously, packs of nuts like cashews and almonds, some candy bars and more fruit. Seeing this as she walked toward the kitchen, seeing the contents that were spilling out of the fridge into Spencer's bag, Alison smirked, "Packing for an army, are you?"

Spencer glanced back at Alison, zipping up the bag. "I don't know how long we're going to be there. And I don't want us to be unprepared. Even if there are stores around, they're a while away from my nana's place."

She slung the backpack over her shoulders, meeting Alison's curious eyes. "Let's go then." Alison smiled and turned to the door, walking out. Spencer took a glance at the drawer she had seen Alison searching through the night of her discovering that the blonde was alive. "The ID," She began, giving Alison pause, "The Radley ID, the one Toby was using, why were you looking for it? Was it to get into Radley to see if anyone was helping Mona?"

Alison looked like she was thinking a moment before she nodded. "Yeah, we were hoping to find out more about anyone that helped her get out. Toby must have given her the ID card to get out of her cell and out of the facility." Spencer wet her lips, mind traveling to the pendent with the key as she walked out the door, closing it and locking up. "What about the key with the round pendent on it?" She asked, turning back to the waiting blonde. "The one with the "A" on it."

Alison narrowed her brows. "I'm not sure. I actually never saw that key before till you showed it to me. Do _you_ have any idea where it goes to?"

Spence looked at Alison carefully again, trying to detect any lie. She couldn't see any sign of a lie in what the other said. Alison genuinely didn't know what that key was. Toby however seemed to. Alison nodded to the car where Maya was waiting in the driver's seat, much to Spencer's shock. "So," Ali said, smiling, pulling up her red hood, keeping her head low as she moved, "Shall we go?"

Breathing out heavily, still not believing all this, Spencer hesitantly followed after her "rescuer." Alison really had a lot of explaining to do. If she thought she could worm her way out of not answering more, she had another thing coming.

 **(Page break)**

Noel and Cece reached the hideaway, closing the door, locking it and switching on all the lights. They looked around, scanning for cameras that might have been planted and upon finding none, Cece removed her mask and pushed back her hood, facing Noel. "Okay then," Noel began, "We should tell Ali and the others what we know. Tell me quickly." Cece looked down at the recording box, knowing what she was holding could get Hanna and Ashley Marin sent to jail. "This," She said, raising the box up, "Has footage of a crime that happened not long ago. It concerns people we know. People Ali cares about. We need to destroy it." She didn't plan on elaborating what it was. She couldn't risk anyone hearing what Hanna and Ashley had done.

Noel stared at the thing and snickered, "Alright. The weird mechanical thing of doom. Got it." He locked eyes with Cece. "We need to tell Alison all the information we have because I have a _lot_ I need to tell her." He added, mouthing the words, _"About her twin."_

Cece lifted her head higher, thinking about the girl she had bizarrely known more about tonight from apparently, Courtney and Alison's big brother, Charles. "Right." She said quietly, hand going to her pocket and fingering the USB drives through her pocket. "There is a lot _we_ need to tell her." She turned back to Noel. "What is it you know? You said you spoke to someone from Radley."

Noel nodded. "Yeah. Eddie Lamb, the guy whose ID Toby was using." Cece's eyes grew wide. "You met with him?" She asked, stunned. "Yeah." Noel said, "And there's a lot I need to tell Ali, and you. For starters, I think Jason knew about Courtney. I think he always has. He visited her at Radley." Cece narrowed her eyes. "You're sure about this?" Noel snorted. "I'm not sure of anything. I just know that Eddie said that there was a guy that looked like Jessica that visited Courtney's cell a lot before the breakout."

Cece's heart pounded. She must have had a telling look on her face, because Noel was looking at her curiously. "Cece?" He asked. Cece sidestepped a bit. She wasn't sure it had been Jason that Eddie had been talking about.

Charles.

Had it been Charles that the staff at Radley had seen visit Courtney? Jason had never shown any knowledge of a twin that Alison had. Not once. Not that she wouldn't put it past him to keep it a secret, he just didn't seem that smart. It had to have been Charles that visited his sister at Radley. Had to have been. "Noel," Cece said quietly, making her decision, remembering that Charles hadn't told her not to tell anyone, that she technically wasn't risking –A's wrath right now, "I don't think it was Jason that visited Courtney."

 **(Page break)**

The cell phone of Maya St. Germaine was attached to the holder grafted into the dashboard of the car, its system loaded up with the location of Spencer's house that Spencer had told the owner of the phone. After both Alison and Spencer had jumped into Maya's car, Maya had gotten the directions from Spencer, put them in her phone and they had taken off.

The night sky was all black, littered with stars that Alison could see through glass window and the lingering, reaching out tree branches, blurring as Maya drove. Her mind traveled to what had almost happened with Courtney. Had she almost been possessed by Courtney? She restrained a shiver. That was really disturbing. Could Courtney get her to do things that she didn't want to do? Could _she_ do the same to Courtney? She remembered a talk once with Will, one of the sensates. He explained how his connection with the other seven worked, that sometimes, they could take one of the others over if need be. Apparently that was how Lito and Wolfgang had helped each other out a couple of times before they met each other physically. Once with the thug that tried to blow Wolfgang's head off over diamonds, and once when that abusive monster Joaquin had been holding Dani captive and Lito had come to rescue her.

She had actually seen them do it a few times. Capheus would suddenly pull moves that he couldn't possibly have the experience to do, and would act like Sun during a fight, or when the police once had Lito, Hernando and Alison cornered and Alison was trying to keep her face from being seen by the police in New Hampshire, Lito had suddenly started using "cop protocol" to get them out of the situation. He used information he couldn't possibly know on his own without Will taking over.

Alison tried not to feel like her thoughts were dominating her mind, which they were. Those had been helpful "possessions." Alison was more than sure that the origin of possession came from sensates. You're possessed by a person from a different country and you speak a foreign language that you couldn't possibly know? That was where the stories about possession came from in myth.

Sensates that were just trying to help their brothers and sisters across the world, mistaken for demons or evil spirits for centuries.

Spencer stared at Alison across the seat, buckled in. Both of them were seated in the back as Maya drove. Spencer had wanted them both to sit in the back so she could talk more to Alison personally, but now she just couldn't find the words. This had been, for a long time, all she had hoped for. For Alison to be alive and to come back into her life. Now that she was here, what exactly did Spencer do? There were so many questions. Where had the other girl been? How had she lived out in the world without anyone recognizing her face and reporting her to the police or to Alison's family?

That thought made Spencer stiffen as an unsettled question jumped into her mind. Had Alison been telling the truth? About her mother, father and brother? Had they really been abusive? She remembered Jason swinging her field hockey stick at Alison and threatening the other girl. She remembered Alison coming over a bunch of times to avoid Jason's friends at his house. And Jason had even said that he was too high or drunk to remember any of it. A flash of guilt hit her. If that was true, had she just overlooked it? Were there times when Alison had been abused and she hadn't known? Times when she could have done something to avoid Alison leaving? If she or the others known and had tried to help, could they have stopped Alison from lashing out and bullying people?

A bell-like laugh left Alison's throat, making Spencer jump. "I can practically hear your questions, Spence." Alison turned to Spencer, smirking. "Ask away." Spencer wanted to do just that. Still, how could she? Were she and the other girls partly responsible for not interfering with Alison's life and for her to be as big a bully as she was? Alison urged, "Go on. Ask."

Spencer felt the questions ready to blurt out, but it was just stuck. How was she supposed to ask this? The question came out surprisingly clumsily, "Did…you were really abused?"

There was another sad smile from Alison that already told Spencer the answer. She barely heard Maya's surprised gasp from the front seat. Alison spoke in a soothing tone, "Don't get so worried about it. I'm never going back to them. I got the help I needed. But to answer your question, yes. I was abused." Spencer could almost feel herself ready to cry. All that time of knowing Ali since they were nine, and she had had no idea. Had she really been so oblivious? Or had she just not cared enough to see what was there? Or had Jessica and Jason hidden it just that well?

"H-how?" Spencer finally asked, though not sure she really wanted to know what had happened to Alison behind closed doors that she had never known about.

Alison observed the girl across from her carefully. She then raised her right arm and rolled back her sleeve, revealing a bare, surprisingly muscled arm. Spencer again, blanched in surprise at the change. Though not by any means bulging with muscles, Alison's arm was well toned almost as much as Emily's from swimming. There was one other thing. As Alison pulled the redcoat sleeve back, revealing the part of her arm that she wanted Spencer to see, the cuff went past the other girl's right elbow, revealing some of what Spencer recognized as a scar. Alison's arm, from the elbow up was marred with scars. Scars that looked like knife marks. Alison dropped the cuff, letting it obscure the scars again and it dropped to her elbow, and brought her left gloved index finger onto her arm, just below the elbow. "See that part of my arm? When I was only four, I was picked up and smashed into a wall by someone. They broke my right arm so bad that I can't use its full strength. My right hand isn't as strong as my left." Spencer's mouth parted in horror. Jessica, or Jason, maybe even Kenneth, had broken Alison's arm? When the girl had been only four? Who the hell did things like that?

At the aghast look she was receiving, Alison sighed, "It was a long time ago. And as I said, I'm away from that now. I don't even remember why Jessica did it." Spencer lowered her gaze. So it had been Alison's own mother that had done that? She swallowed her disgust. How could a mother do that to her own child? When that child was at the age of four?

Spencer's eyes went to the cuff that covered scars along Ali's arm. Those scars had definitely not been on Alison's arm the night of the blonde's disappearance. How was Alison going to explain those?

"And those scars?" Spencer asked, "The scars above your elbow? How did _those_ get there?" Alison blinked in surprise and looked down at her shoulder. She sighed and rolled her sleeve up, revealing the rest of her arm from the elbow up. The part of her arm that Aria, Emily and Hanna hadn't seen in any of her encounters with them while she was helping them because her sleeves covered them. When Spencer saw all the healed up wounds, the brunette gasped, blanching.

The blonde's shoulder and arm above the elbow were scarred up. Three dark scars ran from the front of Alison's shoulder and dragged over the girl's shoulder, like claw marks. Three more, separate ones were on different parts of Alison's arm. Alison then turned her right arm at an angle and pointed to an area several inches below her elbow, revealing an earlier scarred, healed up from longer ago that looked weird. Different from the other scars. Not like claw marks or knife marks, but looked like an actual stab wound. A small one, but a stab wound.

Spencer felt like she couldn't breathe. This was…what the hell had happened to Alison? It looked like someone had tried to kill her, multiple times. Seeing the pain in Spencer's expression, Alison sighed. "Spence, it's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. I was attacked by people that had nothing to do with you, or –A for that matter. What happened between me and the people that did this to me? They're completely independent of you and the other girls. None of this is your fault." She had to emphasize this, even if it was obvious. She couldn't let Spencer think any of this was caused by the brainiac.

As they came to a stop at a red light, Maya leaned back over her seat, turning her head and looking at the two girls in the backseat, her mouth dropping when she saw Alison's shoulder and arm.

"Oh god. Girl." Maya gasped. "That's messed up. Who did that to you?"

Alison chuckled, closing her eyes. She knew that that was the appropriate reaction, but now was not the time, and she didn't want Spencer feeling worse than she already appeared to. "It's nothing that can be helped now." Alison said, opening her eyes and facing Maya before looking back at Spencer, "It happened and it's over now. It has nothing to do with you, Spence. People made decisions that had nothing to do with you."

Spencer couldn't move her gaze from the scars. She heard what the other girl said, but just couldn't stop feeling like she had put those scars there herself for a moment. If she had said or done something to stop Alison abuse, would Ali had stopped being a bully or would have been less of a bully? If she had offered help to Alison beforehand, would Alison still have run off and gotten attacked like this?

Alison flinched at the pain in Spencer's eyes. "Spencer, please." Alison implored, "None of this is your fault at all. There are a lot of people at fault here, including me, but none of those people are you." Alison glanced at Maya who was still staring with multiple questions in her dark eyes. "Eyes on the road, please." Alison said as the light turned green, "The light's green now." Maya's eyes widened and she swiveled around to the road, starting the car again and going through the intersection. Alison turned back to Spencer. "It's alright, Spencer," Alison repeated. "The people that gave these scars to me aren't after me anymore. And I'm fine. What doesn't kill you, you know?"

She tried to smile, hoping to make light of the situation, but looking into the other girl's eyes, she could tell it didn't do any good. Spencer seemed to swallow, "How did this happen to you?" The brunette asked, meeting the blonde's gaze.

Alison sighed, "That would take a long time to explain. And I can't risk –A hearing anything. I will tell you, when we're both sure that we're not being watched or listened in on."

Spencer looked like she wanted to protest of course, when Alison's phone 'pinged,' making the blonde turn to her pocket and pull out her phone, checking the text she received. She prepared herself for one from –A, but stared when she saw that it was from Cece.

" _Ali, we need to tell you something. Both Noel and I do. Where are you? Get out here! There's a lot you need to hear from us. It's important!"-_ Cece. Alison breathed out, rereading the text. Talk about not good timing. She glanced at Spencer who was watching her, clearly hoping to see the text. Alison sighed, turning the text to Spencer. She needed to know. And it was unlikely that –A didn't already suspect Noel and Cece, especially if she was sharing a brain with Courtney.

Spencer's eyes scanned the words, mouth dropping. She looked at Alison, stunned. "Noel?" Spencer demanded, "Cece? They know?" Alison sighed, bringing the phone to her lap. "They've always known. They've known for years." Alison nodded to Maya, "Noel's the one that kept Maya safe while Lyndon James was looking for her. He let her stay at his cabin till James was caught." Alison hesitated, "And when Maya was grabbed by –A, we rescued her." Spencer looked like someone had just slapped her with a baseball bat. "What?" She demanded, turning to Maya. "Maya?" Maya laughed a little, nervousness in her voice, "Yeah. While I was staying at Noel's, this –A creep jumped out of nowhere and kidnapped me. I thought it might have been Lyndon at first, but it wasn't. Alison and the others rescued me."

"The others….." Spencer mumbled, looking at Alison. Alison sighed, hoping not to bring up Margo and Shana just yet, in case –A didn't suspect them yet. "Yep." She answered dismissively, "So like I said, there have been people helping me. Cece and Noel are two of those people." She smiled as she looked at the very confused Spencer, "I know you all thought Noel couldn't be trusted, but he's been helping me for a long time. He reports back to me when something happens with the four of you." Spencer blinked, as if trying to process this information. It was like Spencer's mind was having difficulty reloading.

Alison lifted her phone again and started texting back, _"Kind of can't right now. Spencer knows I'm alive. She and I and Maya are going to her nan's house. You both know where that is, don't you? Come with us."_ She sent the text as "Red" but she doubted that made much of a difference anymore.

"What did you say to them?" Spencer asked, voice strained, questioning gaze watching the other. Alison flipped the phone around and showed Spencer the text she had sent. Spencer blanched at Alison. Alison put her phone down on her lap a moment. "Spence, I'm not going to lie to them about where we're going. We can trust them. They've always been on our side."

"Our side." Spencer repeated quietly. Alison chuckled, "Yes, Spencer. I know you don't trust easily. But I'm on your side. And so Noel and Cece are on our side. I promise, when they get to your nan's place, they'll behave themselves. Noel just liked riling you up." Spencer glowered. "No kidding. And they never told us?" Alison smiled, "Don't blame them. They didn't tell you because I asked them not to tell you. As I said, I thought you were better off without me."

"It's alright, Spencer," Maya assured the other girl, keeping her eyes on the road thankfully, "Noel's a good guy." Spencer shifted her seat. She wasn't liking this at all. Alison trusting Noel instead of her and the other girls. Maya seeking out Noel's help when Lyndon James had been around. Alison said in a gentler tone, "Look, Spencer, I know you're uncomfortable with this. But we need help. All the help we can get. We can't tell Hanna, Emily and Aria, so we need to get help elsewhere." Maya lifted her head a bit. "Why can't you tell Emily and the others?" She asked, confused. "Gag order." Alison answered back, frowning, "From –A. If we tell the other three I'm alive…something bad is going to happen." Both Alison and Spencer could tell that the other girl wanted to ask more, but thankfully, Maya didn't press.

"Look," Alison emphasized, "We need help. And I promise that Cece and Noel are trustworthy. I trust both of them with my life." Maybe Alison hadn't meant for the words to hurt, but they hurt Spencer immensely. She tried not to flinch, but was unsuccessful. Alison trusted Noel and Cece with her life, but didn't trust her? Alison didn't trust her or the other three girls? That hurt.

"And you never trusted us?" She asked, voice pained before Spencer could think about it.

Alison sighed, now looking guilt-ridden. "I did trust the four of you. Just not enough to tell you everything at the time. Spence, look, I was distrustful of everyone back then. Everyone. My own biological family, I knew couldn't be trusted, I didn't know what to think. And then –A started harassing me. And that night? The night I left? Do you remember what you said? When we got into a fight? Before I left the house? Alison hated that she was telling Spencer this. She didn't tell the other girl this to hurt Spencer, but Spencer deserved to know the truth. She watched as those brown orbs widened with realization.

"What I said…" Spencer repeated, horror dawning on her. "Oh god."

" _And as far as I'm concerned, you're dead to me already."_

"Oh god," Spencer said again, her brain firing off with this terrible information that she should have realized before. Of _course_ Alison hadn't trust her that night. Who would trust someone after hearing _that_?

"Spencer," Alison repeated, "It's not your fault. Like I said, I was distrusting of everyone. And I wasn't exactly being a good friend. I was awful that night. Worse than usual and you know that. Yeah, I jumped to the worst conclusion when I heard that, but nothing excuses how I treated you guys, and you didn't know what was going on. I don't blame you for anything. I'm just saying I wasn't sure who I could trust. I just heard that, that night, and as I said, I knew, even back then that I wasn't a good friend. Not to you, or to Emily, or to Hanna and Aria. I knew that." Alison looked down at the floor of the car, guilt worming its way through her again, "I thought that it wouldn't be possible to trust you guys, because I thought you'd end up turning on me. And I wouldn't have blamed you either. I was wrong, of course, but that's what I thought at the time."

Spencer almost cringed, her guilt eating at her.

Alison reached out for the other girl, refusing to let Spencer deal with the guilt and think that any of this was in any way her fault. She gently took the other girl's hand in her own, startling Spencer who gaped at Alison.

"Spence," Alison said in a soothing tone, cradling Spencer's hand in hers like the priceless treasure it was, "None of this is your fault. There were so many things that were happening, that are still happening. None of what's happened is your fault. You told me off because I was being awful to you, and you had every right to do that. I had no right to treat you like that, and I didn't tell you anything. The point is, it's in the past. There's no changing it. But we can trust Noel and Cece. I promise."

Spencer shot Alison a look that the blonde wasn't sure she could decipher. She understood that the other girl was trying to figure out what game was going on here, but she also realized Spencer wasn't sure of anything anymore. "If I hadn't pulled that mask off that night, at the house," Spencer said, pulling her hand out of Alison's grasp, much to the blonde's disappointment, "Would you have ever told me you were alive?"

Alison winced. That question hurt. Though she knew she deserved it. "No," She said sadly, watching the damage her answer did, Spencer's eyes widening and the pain glinting in the other girl's eyes, "I thought you didn't want to see me again." Spencer averted her eyes away. "Because of what I said that night?" "And because of what _I_ said," Alison emphasized, "I know I did a lot wrong to everyone, including the four of you. So yes, partly because of what you said, but mostly because of what I did." Spencer shook her head, anger marring her face. "You should have told us. You _could_ have told us. I would have listened." Alison nodded, grimacing. "I know. And I'm sorry that I didn't trust you." Alison thought about saying more, but knew that saying more probably wouldn't be good right now. They both needed time to relax and mull things over.

Both of them remained silent for a long time during the drive. In the front seat, Maya looked like she wanted to ask a few things, but decided to ask later when they reached the house.

 **(Page break)**

Cece looked at Noel, who was watching the text. She answered him, "We know where Spencer's nan's cabin is, don't we? Let's go." Noel looked hesitant. Everything they had told each other, that was a lot. Charles DiLaurentis, Alison's brother and cousin? He had been the one to visit Courtney at Radley? And what was this about another NAT generation before Jason's and Ashley hitting Wilden? The fuck had been going down tonight? Too much shit had been happening. He heaved out a breath. "Okay," He said, "But we need a list of where to start with the things we need to tell Ali." His eyes went to the recording box in Cece's hands and then traveled to the pocket where Cece's USB drives were. "And we better destroy that box. And do not lose those USB drives."

"How stupid do you think I am?" Cece remarked, smirking. "Let's just get to Spencer's grandmother's place and we'll decide what to do from there after we tell Ali everything."

"Right." Noel said quietly, "Let's go to my place. I have a car there that can drive us." Cece nodded and they left, turning off the lights and locking everything up and headed out. After they reached Noel's house, Noel went into his house, urging Cece to stay there as he went, mumbling he needed to get his laptop and some other USB drives. At Cece's questioning look, he answered, "We need to copy the stuff on those USB drives. We need copies of the evidence if it's real." He hesitated before adding, "I really hope Ali doesn't think we're joking with her when we tell her about Charles."

Cece nodded, smirking, waiting by the wall of Noel's house, waiting as the boy headed inside.

She thought about Alison's text. That Spencer knew she was alive and they were together going to Spencer's grandmother's house. Cece smiled despite everything. Alison was alone with Spencer. She hoped that was going well. She smirked slightly. "Now's your chance, Ali." She hoped too Spencer was actually willing to listen to Alison.

 **(Page break)**

Courtney, listened in after she heard Spencer and Alison get into Maya's car. She had decided to try to listen in on Noel, Cece or one of the others. She had planted communication links all over the place. At the costume shop after Kira had started working there, at The Brew where the girls frequented, at Noel's house and at the Boutique where Cece Drake worked. Now she could hear activity happening at Noel's house that had nothing to do with Eric or Noel and Eric's parents. Noel and Cece were talking.

" _I really hope Ali doesn't think we're joking with her when we tell her about Charles."_ Noel's voice came through the communication link, making Courtney frown. Hmm, information all over the place was about to be leaked. She couldn't allow Charles's presence to be known to her sister. Charles was integral to killing the A-Team. Given Alison's new "honorable" lifestyle, there was too strong a possibility that Ali might try to interfere with Charles's mission.

Courtney listened to Noel going into his house for a few things and got up from the bed. This house, it was once Mary DiLaurentis's house. Her aunt's house and Charles's mother's. But aunt Mary had moved off to Philadelphia, now had lived there for almost ten years. She had left the house to Charles. It was her, Charles's and Jessica's hideaway while the St. Germaine family was occupying the DiLaurentis house.

Courtney flew down the stairs, remembering Charles had said he was going to the kitchen to grab some lemonade before he went to bed (weirdo) and jumped into the said kitchen, finding her brother there. "Hey, doofus!" She snapped, making the boy jump from where he was bending, searching in the fridge for the lemonade. "Whoa, what?" He looked at his sister, blue eyes startled. "Cour, what is it?" Scowling at her brother's clueless look, Courtney grumbled, "Cece told Noel about you. And they're planning on telling Ali too. Stop them. Even if they're on Ali's side, use logic. If Alison finds out about you and that you're trying to kill the A-Team members, Alison will try to stop you. Remember, she's trying to be a good person," Courtney's face turned into a dark sneer, "And her definition of being a good person is letting shit bags live unless it's absolutely necessary to kill them. She might interfere with our plans of ending the A-Team. Explain that to Noel and Cece, if you will." Courtney had a cold grin on her face as she added, "Or _I_ will."

Charles shot up at the promise. That wasn't a hollow threat and Charles knew it. He also knew that if Courtney confronted anyone, it had a high potential to end in quite an ugly way. They needed Cece, and now Noel it seemed, to cover them while they killed Lucas, Wilden and the others. Alison and the redcoats didn't know this, but there were a lot of A-Team members that they weren't aware of. A lot of other kids that Alison bullied, a lot of employees of Grant's and of Oliver's. He and Courtney had their work cut out for them. Courtney's words, no matter how fueled by insanity they might have been, made a lot of sense. They had to get this done now. And they couldn't risk someone interfering.

He nodded. "I'll talk with them. Don't do anything yet." He almost pleaded, bringing a smirk from Courtney as he pulled his hood up, grabbed his mask from the counter and walked past his sister to the door. Courtney watched Charles leave, standing in the middle of the room, still smirking.

 **Author's Note:**

 **Yeah, so gag orders all around.**

 **Awesome1: Yes, unfortunately. It'll now be only a matter of time figuring out who is to be trusted, as usual.**

 **Guest: Thank you, yes, I was thinking about that. And I assure you, the next chapter is going to have that, Courtney goading Alison into things and trying to use Spencer to do it.**

 **Now if you'll excuse me:**

 **Maya: you promised Ali and Maya friendship ages ago but it took you forever to include me?**

 **Me: Hangs head. Sorry. It takes me forever to write stuff.**


	28. So, who's trustworthy now?

**Warnings for abuse, sexual abuse, captivity, mental illness and so on.**

 **Chapter 28: So, who's trustworthy now?**

After Noel had come down from upstairs, backpack toting under his arms where Cece presumed was holding his laptop and some USB drives, they jumped into Noel's convertible, doing the usual checkup of the car, making sure nothing had been done to it by a certain gang of black hooded psychopaths and drove off. When they reached one particular road, coming to the secluded area where the red light stopped them, there was the sound of thumping from behind them against the metal of the car, and both Noel and Cece turned around to see a dark hooded figure jump into the backseat of the car, pulling their mask off just as both people in the front seat, got up and tried to pull out their weapons.

"Ah! Hey! Don't try to kill me just yet!" A familiar voice reached Cece's ears. "Charles?" She asked, staring at the figure as the man pushed his hood back, revealing his head of bright blonde hair, succeeding in taking his mask off, his handsome, angelic face grinning up at the two stunned warriors.

"Charles?!" Noel echoed, gaping, "This is him?!" He looked at Cece in question. "Well aren't you sharp?" Charles chuckled at Noel, sticking his right black gloved covered hand out to Noel in offering, left hand holding the mask, "Charles Markus DiLaurentis. Nice to meet you, Mr. Kahn." For minutes, neither Noel nor Cece moved or spoke. Noel then blinked and his face turned ugly with rage that was so unbecoming of the youngest Kahn, "You're Charles? You tried to kill Jenna! You almost freaking drowned her! You tried to burn her to death!" Noel lifted himself out of the front seat, fists raised, before Cece put her right arm against his chest, restraining him. "Calm down, Kahn," Cece said quickly, "Calm down."

"Yes," Charles urged, seeming in no way threatened by Noel's anger, "Please calm down. After all, I've sworn off going after Jenna. I promise, Noel," He smiled up at the still angered young man, "I will not go after Jenna ever again. But that means that you have to make sure that she doesn't try to hurt Ali, if you don't mind." Noel's anger slowly quieted down, though he was still looking at Charles as if the guy had just told him that he had run over forty nuns and forty monks and then set the corpses on fire. "My apologies," Charles continued, "Yes, that was me, but I'm no threat to Jenna at all. Not anymore. If you are important to Ali, then you are important to me." He looked up at Noel, "As I understand it, that is the way your family works, is it not?"

Noel froze in his movements, anger gone from his face, only confusion remaining. Charles cocked his head slightly, smirking, "It is, isn't it? If someone becomes part of your family and they care about someone outside of that family, that someone is considered family too, right? Well, I'll take that into consideration about Jenna." Charles offered a kind smile, as if that was all it would take to soothe Noel's anger

Noel slowly looked at Cece again and said, "Does he usually act like this?" Cece shrugged, "He did when I met him." Charles scoffed, smirking, "Sheesh, and there go the pleasantries. I just wanted to request that you not tell Ali about me just yet." At Cece's and Noel's startled looks, Charles stayed in the backseat, waiting for their reactions.

"Wait," Cece said, voice dangerous, "I thought you said you didn't care who I told about you." "And that's true," Charles said, "Or was true, anyway. But plans change. You should know this. Need I remind you what my motive is? We're trying to get rid of A-Team members. Kill them before they hurt Alison. I'm sure that's something you both can get behind." Both young adults looked at each other again and thought about it, not paying attention to the red light now turning green. It wasn't like there was anyone else on the road. Cece looked at Noel, to see how he took this. She had seen that look before at the warehouse when she had explained Charles to the boy. He had been completely shocked, but he had listened, and then of course he was pissed when he learned that Charles was the one that had almost killed Jenna twice. Now he was eyeing Charles carefully, ready to lash out if so much as one small action was made by Charles that Noel didn't like.

"But," Charles continued, meeting both their eyes and even in the dark, his blue eyes were piercing, "Our beloved sister, Ali-" "She's not _your_ sister," Noel spat, "She's ours."

Charles smirked at Noel's possessiveness. " _Our_ sister has taken this time to try to better her life and try to take the honorable road, trying to not harm people unless absolutely necessary. In doing so, I'm sure she'll look down upon cold, calculated murder. So that's why I'd like it if you didn't tell Ali about me. She more than likely will try to stop me from killing people like Wilden and the others. People who are threats not just to her, but to those four girls that she loves so much."

There was silence in the car. Nothing, save for the engine of the car and the many, many crickets and grasshoppers chirping filled the night air. Noel looked like he couldn't quite wrap his brain around what the other young man had just said, and Cece's eyes narrowed in comprehension, disgusted slightly that Charles's words made a lot of sense to her.

Charles spoke again, blue eyes staring up at the other two young adults, "The two of you and I, we're a lot alike. I'd do anything for Ali. And for Courtney." Noel watched with amused satisfaction as Noel's eyes narrowed. Charles grinned. "What? Come on. Did you think I only cared about Courtney? I want them both safe. And if that means killing off everyone in the –A team, so be it. I trust the two of you. I know you'd never do anything to hurt Alison. And I'm sure if you ever ran into Courtney, you could never hurt someone who is so closely related to Ali."

Both standing young adults froze and glanced at each other. That was…a problem. _Could_ they hurt Courtney, if they ever ran into her? Courtney, someone who was Alison's blasted _twin_ , who shared a womb and basically one hundred percent of the same DNA, and according to some of the things Alison had seen in her dreams and had seen while awake-a mind on some occasions. Like the sensates. Could they really do that to someone that close to Alison?

"Exactly." Charles said, without waiting for an answer, the other two occupants of the car looking back to him. "And I wouldn't either. I love them both. Even though I haven't talked to or held Alison in years, I still love and adore her. I wouldn't put her in any danger. And I know that certain members of the A-Team are a threat to her. So I will fix that. Would you really endanger that, when you know that these people are a threat, not just to Alison's twin, but to Ali herself?"

There was another uncomfortable pause in the car.

"Just remember that," Charles said finally, smiling, getting up and turning around, knees on the brown leather heads of the seats, lifting himself out of the car and turned back over his right shoulder to look at the other two occupants of the car. "If Alison knows about me, and knows about what I do, she will more than likely try to save people like Lucas, Wren, Melissa and Wilden. Dangerous people. People who would see Alison dead, given the chance, people who might have tried to kill her already. _Remember that_." Charles hesitated another moment before turning back to Cece and met her eyes and despite the dark surrounding them, Cece could feel the intensity of Charles's stare like a pair of blazing blue beams. "Let me ask you this, Cece," Charles continued, "What happens if Wilden finds out that Ali's still alive? What will you do then? What do you think _he_ will do? Just remember, as long as he, Lucas and the others are around, Ali's in danger." Without saying anything else, Charles kicked his right foot off the back left door of the car and leapt out onto the street.

As he was about to take off, Noel yelled, "Wait! How did you find us?" Charles froze and turned around, smirking. "Haven't you guessed by now?" He remarked, "We bugged your car. It's on the bottom of the car, next to your right front tire. If you want to get rid of it." Noel and Cece stiffened and Noel hopped out of the car, kneeling down by his front tire. He reached under as Charles crossed his arms over his chest, amused. Cece watched the blonde man, cautious, almost fixated by this stranger. There was a struggle and Noel grunted, pulling his right arm out from behind the tire. He held it up for Cece to see. Cece stared at the device as if it had just insulted her and Ali. Hadn't they searched the car? That thing must have been lodged up in the space between the tire and the car. It was a round device, silver, with a round, glowing red dot in the middle. Noel swiveled around, staring at Charles like he was ready to kill the other man. Charles smiled. "Please restrain your violent urges with me. Would you like to tell Alison you killed her estranged brother? It just goes to show that you need to be more careful and take better care to make sure I don't listen in on you guys."

Noel scowled, throwing the device at Charles, the other man caught it, still smirking, turning and bolting off into the forest, pulling his hood back up.

Noel got back into the convertible, facing Cece.

There was still no sound as Cece and Noel turned their heads towards the forest and watched the dark figure disappear into the wooded area. Noel glared over at where Charles had disappeared and swiveled back to Cece. "What just happened?! What the hell was he talking about? And how the hell did he put the bug there without us noticing?" "He probably has had it there for a while," Cece said, still looking at the dark woods, no longer seeing the black hooded figure, "And I believe that he was telling us that we should lie to Alison and not tell her about Charles." Noel glowered. "What? No! No freaking way! I'm not keeping something like this from Ali!" Cece shook her head, "I know, I know. I don't like it either. But think about it! What Charles said, it makes sense." Noel stared at Cece and even in the dim light from Noel's car's headlights, and from the traffic light, Cece could see the young man's incredulous stare. He wasn't speaking, but Cece had a strong suspicion that the only thing he was thinking right now was, "the fuck?"

"This is-no." Noel shook his head, "This is getting out of control. We can't trust –A!" "I know," Cece snapped, "But if he's really killing A-Team members, then maybe we should." Noel's glare turned darker somehow. "And Jenna?!" "You heard him." Cece said, nodding to the forest, "He's not going to go after Jenna anymore. Just those that we don't care about. Wilden and the others." "And you believe that?" Noel growled. "I don't know." Cece admitted, looking back over at the road, wondering if anyone else was listening in on them, "But if this protects Ali more, by her not trying to stop Charles, should we really stop him? Should we really tell her if she might try to save people like Lucas and Mona?" Noel looked uncertain before Cece turned back around and sat down in her seat. "We should head to Spencer's grandmother's place. Ali will wonder where we are."

Noel groaned, turning around and sitting in his seat, driving the car again, both of them silent for a great deal of the time. At last, Cece said quietly, "If we do show the USB drives about the earlier NAT club, if that is in fact what's on this, we have to come up with a lie about where we found them, unless we want Ali to ask where I got them."

Noel winced and looked like someone had just slapped him. "So we're now planning on full out lying to Alison? Something we haven't done for years? And especially when she's actually learned to trust as much as she has? We're actually going to do this? Seriously, I can't remember a single lie I've ever told her besides pranking her. Cece, this is huge. What you're saying we should do could destroy our relationship with her."

"Would you rather risk Alison stopping Charles and putting herself in more danger, just to keep her trust, or would you do whatever was necessary to protect her, even if she stopped trusting us?" Cece demanded, glaring at Noel, trying to ignore her own heart breaking at the thought of keeping something like this from Ali. Noel didn't say anything, just drove faster, and Cece suspected he was listening to the engine's noise to block out his thoughts and her words.

When they were on the close route to Spencer's grandmother's house, a ping let Cece know someone was texting her. She tensed, assuming it was Charles, and checked her phone. It wasn't Charles. It was from Sam.

" _Cece, what's happening? Kira, Shana and I just met up, and we got a message from the others. Jack saw something and we need to talk. What's happening and where are you and Dana?"_

Cece blinked at the message, it only seeable because of the bright light emanating from the phone. Jack had had a vision? An important one if Sam was texting her about it. Right, she'd need to let Sam know what was happening here. She texted back.

" _We'll meet you later tomorrow. Just hang tight with Kira and Shana! Noel, Dana, Spencer, Maya and I are staying in a safe location till tomorrow. Just hang tight, okay? Contact me on one of the other phones to let me know you're okay!"_

After a few moments, Cece received confirmation, heart thumping. Nothing helped knowing that Charles and Courtney were steps ahead of them. They had thought that they had had a head start against –A, but of course, as usual, they had been wrong. And the question was, now that Charles and Courtney were ahead of them, what would happen to those in the actual town?

Cece put her cell phone away and looked at Noel. "We're gonna meet with the others tomorrow. Kira, Sam and Shana are hiding. Maybe you should go meet with them later, while I stay with Ali, Spencer and Maya tonight. And go get Margo too." Noel nodded, still looking numb after the bizarre encounter just now. "Got it."

"Cece?" Noel began after another few seconds flew by. "Are you worried at all about what's going to happen? I mean in the long run?" Cece looked at Noel, confused. "The long run?" She asked, not sure what the boy meant. Noel sighed, "I mean, what if something happens to one of us? Kira, Ali, when you were taken by Wilden, we were all on the warpath. There are seven of us in this town. Technically eight if you want to include Maya. And then there's Spencer and the other girls. If –A does something irreversible to one of us, you know what happens next, don't you?"

Cece almost shivered, though the night air was surprisingly warm tonight. Oh, she knew. This had happened before. In Iceland, in Boston, in New York, in Maine, in New Hampshire. When a member of their family was injured-not even killed, but harmed in some permanent way, the wrath of dozens of their family would flood the streets. There would be a massacre in this town if anything happened to one of them.

If one of them was harmed, the one doing the harming was asking to mess with all of the redcoats.

Cece nodded, seeing where Noel was going with this. "You're worried about what will happen to the town if one of us is hurt." "Aren't you?" Noel asked, glancing at the woman. Cece thought about it for a few seconds. She thought and she thought hard. Apart from Spencer and the other three girls and their families, and just maybe Charles and Courtney, was there really anything here worth saving? This was a town that stood back and did nothing while the young girls of their community were preyed upon, taken advantage of. Lyndon James, a stalker and attempted murderer had only gotten three years in Rosewood prison. Granted, if Lyndon James had been white, he wouldn't have seen a day in prison. Would there be any loss here? And then there was the matter that Ali's scumbag brother, Jason was in town.

Cece found herself slightly disgusted as she understood the reality here. "No." She answered at last, almost depressed just by how jaded she was, "I'm not worried. And I don't care. Can you think of a reason why, besides Jenna and the four girls and their families why we should care? Go on, try to think of one. And remember that most of the cops here are ex-rapists and criminals. Also completely incompetent." Noel stiffened a moment before, narrowing his eyes, thinking.

After only a moment, he groaned, "Shit, I can't think of a reason. Cece, when did we get this cynical?"

Cece let loose a dark laugh. That was a _good_ question. This wasn't about heroics and good and evil. This was about survival. Pure and simple. Honor had no place in it. No matter how much some of them might want to pretend otherwise.

If they were going to keep Charles a secret, they'd have to edit the information Eddie Lamb had told Noel. But they could tell her some stuff.

 **(Page break)**

Maya drove up to the road of the cabin, parking. Soon all three young women got out of the car, closing it up and locking it. Spencer looked around the area, not able to see much but the dark night and the forest. She knew that if they wanted, -A could come out at them and jump them. That thought seemed to make her speed up to the front porch and unlock the door. The three of them headed inside and Spencer turned on the lights, closing the door behind her. "So," Maya began cautiously, that tension she had felt from the other two still clouding over them, "What do we do now?"

Alison raised her right hand to lay the palm against her forehead. "Nothing right now, I suspect. I mean." She looked at Spencer, "It's not like we can tell the others about me right now." Spencer nodded, glaring out the window, as if expecting to see a hooded figure for her to take her frustration out on, maybe even hoping for it. The brunette said quietly, "I'll get some sleeping bags out. And I'll call my parents and the others and tell them that there's some errands I have to do." Alison eyed the other. "Your parents might believe that." She said quietly, "But would Melissa? Would the other girls?"

Spencer sighed, frustration clear on her face. "I don't know. Melissa…I don't know anything when it comes to her anymore. The other girls might be suspicious. I'll call them later and make sure they don't try to find out more. The tone in Spencer's voice told Alison that the other girl didn't want to talk about it anymore. Alison decided to change the subject, knowing Spencer didn't want to talk about anything right now. She turned to Maya. "Do you need to head back home? Or will your family be alright with you being here?"

Maya smiled, despite feeling nervous from everything that was happening, "It's cool. I told them that I was going to a party here and there would be nothing weird going on. The upside is, I think they kind of are giving me a lot of room to do fun stuff since the Lyndon James thing." Alison winced, "I bet. What about Emily?"

"Emily," Maya hesitated, now looking uncomfortable, "Emily, I don't know. I feel like she doesn't want anything to do with me. I mean, I know that's weird, but that's just how I feel sometimes. She's been keeping a lot of secrets from me, and I've seen her with Paige." Spencer looked at Maya and tensed. "She's just trying to protect you. –A threatens us when we try to get other people involved." Alison gestured in point at Spencer's words. "That's why. Emily's not doing it to hurt you." Alison assured the other girl. Maya shook her head, "It still hurts." "I'm sorry, Maya." Alison said, trying to keep her voice from turning sad. She had thought of all the girls that Emily had had a relationship with, that Maya had been the one Emily was closest to. Had she been wrong?

She looked at the downcast look on Maya's face, immediately feeling empathy for the other girl. Not being loved by the one that Maya was in love with, or thought that she wasn't loved back by Emily, was something Alison understood. She glanced back at the watchful Spencer, who was pulling sleeping bags out of the wooden seat below the window. As Spencer laid the sleeping bags out, the brunette looked hesitant a moment, like she wasn't sure if she should say anything, before she started talking, "Maya, how long have you known Alison was alive?" Maya slowly turned to Spencer. "For a while now, I guess. Since right before Lyndon James was arrested." Spencer looked stunned. "That long? You never told Emily?"

Maya shrugged, "Well it wasn't like Emily told me anything either." Her dark eyes met Spencer's, "Both before I was sent to True North and after that, Emily's had a million chances to be honest with me. But she hasn't been. Maybe I should have told her about Alison, but there were a lot of things Emily should have told me too. Being stalked by a dangerous criminal sounds like something I _should_ know, don't you think?"

Alison's eyes widened and now she knew she couldn't keep back the smirk as she turned to the also startled Spencer. "Good one. I asked Maya not to tell anyone that I was alive. And even if she told you, given that there was a body, would you even have believed her?"

Spencer looked tense as she thought about it. "I…I don't know." She admitted, but as she thought about it, she knew that no, she probably wouldn't have. There were so many times when Hanna had been sure that Alison was still alive and even when both Hanna and Emily had said they had seen Alison, Spencer knew she hadn't believed it. Hanna's incident in the hospital had involved the girl being pumped up with painkillers. And Emily had nearly died from fumes. So easily, any of those things could have affected their brains. And she probably wouldn't have believed Maya either.

She looked at Alison watching her, certain the blonde knew what she was thinking, but Alison's face as usual gave away nothing. Though instead of a haughty smirk, Alison just seemed neutral with a little smile on her face. "We should probably get ready for bed." Alison said, no real force behind her voice. "And Spencer? I'm sure that the girls will be texting or calling you soon? I trust whatever you do though." Alison's words startled Spencer, yet again. No conviction or demand. No expectation of what she thought Spencer was _supposed_ to do. Just a suggestion and letting the other girl know that her decision was trusted by the blonde.

"Right." Spencer mumbled, still taken aback by everything. "I'll just get everything set up. There are already some toiletries here from a few other times the others and I stayed here." Spencer moved to the bathroom, turning the light on and setting things up. Alison turned to Maya. "I'm sorry for bringing you here now." She said dryly. "I'm sure you could think of a bunch of better ways of spending the evening." "Ah," Maya smirked, stuffing her hands into her pockets, "It's alright. Like I said, I'd of liked Emily to be a little more honest with me. It's nice to see somebody is being honest with me, at least." She smiled at Alison, which the other girl returned.

Alison hadn't thought that of all people, Maya would be the one that Emily would lie to. She supposed it came with the territory of being hunted by someone like –A, but given that Emily had allowed Paige to know, and Hanna had allowed Caleb to know and Ezra had been told after a great deal of time by Aria, shouldn't Maya have been allowed to know what her girlfriend was involved with? What Maya might get involved with-had _already_ gotten involved with, thanks to Courtney abducting Maya that night?

"Still," Alison said quietly, "I'm sure it sucks to have to deal with Lyndon James and then right after we get you involved with this mess. As I told you, these aren't people that you take lightly." "I bet," Maya said, slightly disturbed as she thought of what Alison had told her in the car after her rescue. "But it's better I know about them than being kept in the dark and not knowing about the danger. So I prefer your version of honesty if it's really the worst one. Emily hasn't been so good with hers." Maya looked over at Spencer. "Do we know what we're going to do next?" "I don't know," Alison admitted, shaking her head. "We still need to figure it out. We don't have that many hours left and we should probably get to sleep."

Maya nodded. "Yeah, well, it's been forever since I've had a sleepover with just friends." She gave Alison a smirk and the blonde chuckled. That was the reason why Emily's secrecy struck Alison as incredibly odd. She had thought that of all the girls Emily had dated, Maya was the closest of them.

The next few minutes past by of the girls taking turns changing in the bathroom. While Maya was in the bathroom, Spencer turned to Alison as she sat down on the seat where she had pulled the sleeping bags out of. Alison was seated on the couch, facing the brunette, her thin backpack with the documents pressed into her back. She worriedly wondered how long it would take before Spencer inquired about it. "You want to start asking questions again." Alison said, not making it a question. Spencer restrained a growl at Alison's prediction. But she ground out, "Yes. You said Noel and Cece could be trusted. Is that true? Just be straight with me. Why should I trust them at all?" Alison shook her head, smiling slightly, "I'm not asking you to trust them. Even if you can't trust them, I'd just like it if you tolerated them." Alison took a moment to think. She had said _this_ much. She could tell Spencer something else if they were being listened in on. She reached her hand out, "Can I have the paper and pen for a moment?"

Spencer looked over at the paper, startled, grabbed it and the pen and brought them to Alison. Alison smiled gratefully, took the items and started writing. When she was finished, she handed it back to Spencer. Spencer turned the paper around and read it.

The paper said, _"Noel and Cece were the ones that got Aria out of the crate that night on the train."_

Spencer looked at Alison, shocked. "That was them?!" She asked, mouth dropping. Alison nodded, knowing at some point she'd have to tell Spencer about Shana being there too. She couldn't risk –A knowing Shana was involved too, in case they were being listened in on now. Spencer looked at the paper again before putting it down on the seat she had using. "And the dressing room?" She demanded, "The snake? I'm going to assume you know about that." Alison winced. "Yeah, I know about that. Cece told me about it." Alison's expression became sobered quickly. "I'm sorry that happened. There were cameras. I don't know how –A did that without being seen."

Spencer looked like she was about to think of something to say when she heard a few pings in her phone. She turned to her pocket, a worried expression marring her face. She looked at Alison a second. The blonde shrugged. "You won't know till you see who it is." Alison said quietly. Spencer hesitantly pulled out her phone and checked it. Her face fell. "It's Aria. She's wondering where I am." Alison tensed, waiting for the other girl to decide on what to do.

Spencer sighed, starting to type on her phone. She sent the message and looked at Alison, putting her phone away. "I just told Aria that I went to get something to apply for college and asked her to tell Hanna and Emily." Alison heard Spencer voice falter slightly when the brunette mentioned Hanna.

The blonde nodded, her own worry for Hanna growing. "You're getting really worried about Hanna, aren't you?" Spencer cast her eyes to the floor. "Yeah. She must be terrified right now." Alison looked at the older girl and stood up off the couch, making Spencer look at her. "Do you want to go to Hanna and see if she's okay?" Alison asked, "Go ahead. I get it. If you're really worried about her, go see her." Spencer was stunned again before her dark eyes narrowed. "Are you just trying to get rid of me so you can hide again?" Alison rolled her eyes, snorting, "Yes, Spencer, because you know I'm alive already, and have seen me and already know that all three Maya, Cece and Noel are involved, clearly now I'll leave and I think I can cover everything up. Spencer, really? I'm not going to run off. And if I do, I'll tell you where in Rosewood I'm going so you can meet up with me. I just want you to do what you want. If that's making sure Hanna isn't falling apart right now, then go ahead. I wouldn't blame you at all."

At the conviction in her statement, and at Alison crossing her arms over her chest, Spencer took a moment to absorb Alison's words. Alison wasn't pressuring her. Encouraging her to check on Hanna. As far as Spencer could tell, Alison was telling the truth about not running off. Then again, Alison had always been a superb liar. Spencer tried to think for a while. No, if anything was wrong right now, Aria, Hanna or Emily would have sent an S.O.S by now. Hanna might be terrified, but she wasn't in immediate trouble. As much as Spencer wanted to check on Hanna and reassure the other girl, when would she get this chance to get information out of Alison and learn more on –A again? As long as Hanna wasn't in danger…

"No," She said at last. "I need answers. And Hanna would have contacted me by now if she was really in danger. I have to get more answers from you." Alison lifted an eyebrow. "I don't know what else I can tell you," She responded to the brunette. "At least the stuff that I _can_ say out loud and write down." The backpack strapped to Alison's back now felt heavier at the thought.

Spencer's face was unreadable. "I doubt it. You were gone four years, Ali. Don't tell me that you don't have more that you can tell me. If we have to wait till we're sure we're not being watched so you can tell me then, alright, but don't feed me that."

Alison smirked. There Spencer was with her relentless questioning. And there was that determined gleam in Spencer's eyes, that fire that she loved so much. Alison nodded, smile widening. "Alright. Understood." The doorknob to the bathroom turned and Maya came out in her sleepwear. "Okay," The dark-skinned girl spoke, "So whose going next?" Maya gestured to the bathroom. Alison looked at Spencer. Spencer sighed. "I'll go in next." She eyed Alison. "Don't leave." Alison chuckled, "I won't. Promise."

Spencer hesitated, but grabbed her bag with her clothes and went into the bathroom.

After the door closed, Maya looked at Alison. "So Spencer knows but the others don't because of –A?" "Yep," Alison said dryly, dropping her arms, "Welcome to the wonderful world of blackmailing via –A." Maya almost gave a similar laugh, "You're not kidding. Well, I'm glad to help. If Emily won't tell me anything, then I'm glad that I know this much so I can help protect her, even if she won't let me."

Alison felt a certain respect for this girl. After being terrorized and nearly being killed by her stalker and then being kidnapped by –A, Maya was more than willing to jump into the din of shadows and secrecy to stop the same person that had kidnapped her. Alison moved over to the sleeping bags and checked them out, looking at which one was the softest. The green one looked the fluffiest. She decided that one she'd leave to Spencer. "Does your family even suspect what's going on?" Maya answered simply, "No. They know as much about Lyndon as the rest of the town does, but they have no idea at all that I was kidnapped. I'm guessing that that would be best?" Alison looked back over at Maya. "I don't know." She spoke honestly, "I know that –A doesn't like being asked about, but all they would see on the screen would be a hooded figure with a mask on. And you didn't see their face, right?"

Maya shook her head, shivering at the memory. "No. Just the same as the cameras. A hooded person with a mask. I only felt the person's body and realized it was a girl. And that doesn't leave much room to figure out who it was." "That's true." Alison said, the tenseness that always came with thinking about Courtney, her twin returned. The door of the bathroom opened and Spencer came out. Her eyes fell on Alison and again, Alison frowned at the caution that Spencer was giving her. "Your turn," Spencer said, moving away from the bathroom, "I guess."

Alison smiled. "Thanks, Spence. But as you can see, I don't have extra clothes with me. Cece and Noel are bringing them." Spencer blushed, "Right." Alison smirked at the cute blush touching the brunette's cheeks. She noticed Maya looking at them and as Alison glanced at the other girl, she noticed the look of understanding in Maya's eyes. Alison lost her smirk, wondering if Maya had read her reactions towards Spencer correctly and recognized them for what they were. Probably.

A few seconds later, powerful, almost blinding beams of light spilled in through the windows, bathing all three girls in the light. Spencer and Maya jumped and turned. Alison turned slowly, suspecting it was Cece and Noel. When she saw the convertible, she knew she assumed right. That was Noel's car. Spencer tensed and Alison answered quickly. "It's alright. It's just Cece and Noel. That's Noel's convertible."

"Oh." Spencer said quietly, though she was staring through the window at where Noel was parking with deep distrust. Alison smiled ruefully. Oh, this was going to be a lot of fun.

There was the sound of doors opening and slamming shut and clicks of locks and footsteps out on the cabin's wooden porch. Eventually there was a knock on the door that Spencer hesitantly answered. When she swung the door open, all three of them saw Noel and Cece on the other side of the doorway. Noel smirked at the three, his usual boyish charms visible. "Hey, Hastings." He said cheerfully, smirk widening at Spencer's obvious disdain for the guy. "Hey, Noel." Alison smiled, looking to the older blonde, "Cece."

"Hey, Ali." Both Noel and Cece said, and as soon as they walked through the doorway, Alison could feel that they were tense about something. Cece looked at Spencer. "Good to see you again, Hastings. I'm glad to see you're well." Spencer stepped back a few paces, eying Cece and closing the door. "So, how is finding out Ali's still alive?" Noel gave his usual amused smile. "Must be great, right?" "Noel." Alison scolded gently, a smile on her face though. Noel gave Alison a side-glance and turned to Maya and waved. "Hey! Maya. How are you?" Maya smiled brightly. "I'm good, thanks!" Noel nodded, pulling a duffel bag off his shoulder and putting it down on the floor. "How's your girl?" "Noel!" Alison snapped, voice harder this time as Maya flinched. Noel looked at Alison, surprised. Alison shook her head and mouthed, _"Don't."_

Spencer whirled on Alison, watching the interaction, fascinated and confused.

Noel, now looking a little guilty, glanced at Maya, quickly saying sorry, receiving a smile from Maya. Spencer's eyes widened at the apology. Since when did the cocky Noel Kahn ever apologize? Certainly never after committing an act of mischief. But one small misstep on his part wouldn't get him to apologize.

Noel pointed to the duffel bag. "There's the bag with your clothes and toiletries. Some supplies in there too." Alison grinned, despite the tension. "Thanks, Noel."

Spencer turned to Noel, apprehensive. "You've been working with Alison for years? Hiding her?" She stepped back and looked at both older people in front of her, looking from Noel to Cece. " _Both_ of you?!" Cece gave a smile, loaded with coyness and amusement. "Now, Spencer, is that really so hard to believe? You've been suspicious of us for a while now, right? You thought we had nothing to do with Alison being hidden this long?" Spencer looked indignantly at Cece. "Well, every one was too busy messing with us for any of us to even get remotely close to the truth." Cece chuckled. "I do want to point out that Ali asked us not to tell anyone." "Yeah." Spencer said quietly, shifting her gaze to Alison, "I've heard that bit already."

Alison looked guilty a moment before fixing her eyes on her brother and sister. "You both said that there was something you wanted to tell me. What's up?"

As soon as Alison asked, both Noel and Cece became tense and looked at each other, as if unsure whether or not they should start talking. Alison narrowed her eyes, now as tense as her brother and sister were. They had never withheld information on her before. Finally Cece faced Alison, smiling. "Noel met with someone from Radley. Eddie Lamb. He got information from him." Alison's tension left and she appeared more curious than ever. "What?" She demanded.

"Yeah," Cece grinned. "Also, this." The older blonde pulled out the recording box from her redcoat pocket. She then reached into her other pocket and retrieved three USB drives, showing them to Alison. All three Spencer, Alison and Maya's faces were marred with befuddlement. At their confusion, Cece chuckled, "These USB drives are connected to the NAT club. There was an earlier generation of NAT club members." Alison's mouth dropped. "A generation before Jason's generation?" Spencer demanded. "How do we know we can trust that information?" "Spencer," Alison groaned, smiling despite knowing that piece of horrifying knowledge that Cece had just spilled, "Didn't we go over this? Cece and Noel are telling the truth." She looked back at the two older youths. "What else? What is that box thing?" Cece looked hesitantly at the recording box. "This is the recording box in Wilden's car. It has the footage of Hanna's mom hitting Wilden with a car."

Spencer stiffened up, looking at the recording box as if it offended her and glared up at Cece. "You're not going to use that against Hanna, are you?" Alison winced and watched as Cece couldn't even look amused by the accusing question. She looked legitimately offended. Alison felt a flicker of anger kindle up in her gut. Cece and Noel were her big sister and big brother. Sure, Spencer didn't know-couldn't have known that both of the older people in the room were on their side, but hearing Spencer speak like that to Cece made her flesh burn with anger.

"Spence," Alison said, voice taking a harder edge, and when Spencer turned in question to the other girl, Alison tried to keep her anger under control, knowing she shouldn't be speaking this harshly, but considering what both Noel and Cece had risked to make sure that all five she, and Spencer and the other girls were safe, she was fairly certain that both Noel and Cece deserved much more than how Spencer was treating them. "I know you trust zero people outside of Aria, Emily and Hanna right now, and who could blame you after Melissa and Toby?" Alison's face remained unchanging, unshakably hard and cool, even after Spencer winced at the names. Alison felt the claws of guilt slash at her, but kept up her cool countenance. "But treating the people I trust most isn't going to help us right now, considering they've done nothing but help you girls. Even if you don't believe it because your pride is too strong won't help anyone."

Spencer stood, stunned. Both Noel and Cece looked worried, like they had just started a fight and thought they didn't show it, they were concerned about what their sister might say next. "I don't want you to think that you're unsafe, Spencer," Alison continued, anger softening slightly, voice becoming gentler, "But being distrustful of everyone isn't going to help you right now. You've already seen that two of the closest people in your life are untrustworthy. What exactly do you have to lose by trusting us? It's not like Emily, Hanna and Aria trust Cece or Noel. You're not losing anything by tolerating us. If anything," Alison, though her voice was still tainted by irritation, she gestured from all three Maya, Cece and Noel, "You're gaining more by knowing how all three Maya and Cece and Noel are involved. Please explain to me why you think being distrustful instead of playing along and trying to find out more about the redcoats would do anything for you? Do you think you'll benefit more by alienating everyone you don't know incredibly well instead of learning more? There's such a thing at subtlety, Spencer. You have many, many wonderful qualities that I adore about you, but you don't seem to be interested in actually making allies."

Alison took a breath, knowing she was only angering Spencer more, but all this pointing and accusing was pointless right now. She was encouraged to continue talking, only because of Spencer's surprise when she heard the words, "I adore about you," "If you really don't trust any of us, then watch us. Actually figure out what we're doing before jumping to the worst possible conclusion about us." Spencer was taken aback, clearly. Alison could see the dozens questions in the other girl's brown eyes. The brunette wanted to argue of course, Alison always recognized the look. A storm in those eyes, shoulders tensing, cheeks flushing, eyes narrowing as if ready for a battle. It was that beautiful, challenging look that Alison had always loved. Spencer's eyebrow then quirked and she appeared incredibly confused. "Adore about me? Alison, what are you talking about? You left. And you're telling me you care about me-"

Alison couldn't stop a scoff. For a few seconds, her heart had raced, thinking that the other girl had figured out Alison's feelings for her. But _that_ was what Spencer got from Alison's statement? "And why else would I have come back?" Alison asked humorlessly, eyebrows lifting, trying to ignore the hurt at the words "you left." "Just to mess with you four? Really? You actually think after almost four years, that that would be the reason I came back? Do you still think I'm that petty?" There was a sliver of hurt in her voice before she could stop it and she could see the shock resonate over Spencer's face.

Some of Alison's anger remained, stabbing at her, causing a sneer to cross her face as she tried to contain the incredulous ire, "And that was what you got from what I just said? Spencer, I just offered for you to see our methods. Decide for yourself if you trust us or not, and find out what you can about us. Are you really not seeing the benefit of that?" Despite Alison's anger, her voice came out in a small laugh, the blonde looking at the other girl in point, waiting for the other to make her decision. "Besides," The blonde added, "There's a box with the recording of Hanna, her mom and Wilden. And USB drives on a possibly older NAT club. Are you really going to ignore that?" Spencer huffed out but kept watching Alison, thinking about the blonde's words before her tense stance started softening. "Fine." She said at last, "I'll play along. For now." Spencer's words ended in what Alison suspected the brunette thought was threatening.

Alison smiled, ignoring the tension pervading the room, from the two of them, from Maya, from Noel and Cece. They had to focus right now. "Okay." Alison said, looking at Cece. "Where the heck did you get either of those things anyway?" Cece shifted a bit. "I was following Wilden. After Ashely drove away. I pulled out the recording box from his car. This is from it. And when I brought him back to the house so he wouldn't be in a position to be found by the other cops or anything. I raided his house when I found some more tapes on the NAT club and then found these USB drives with the footage of the earlier NAT club generation." Cece's words were convincing enough, and her face never changed as she looked at her little sister, but Alison contained her unease. Something felt off about that story. She couldn't quite tell what it was, but there were a few loopholes in that story, she was sure of it. Hadn't they already searched Wilden's house back in September?

"Right." She said quietly, trying to ignore the suspicion peaking at Cece's odd behavior, deciding they could investigate later, trying to pretend she didn't feel uneasiness seep through her at Cece of all people lying to her, especially since she had just elaborately told Spencer that Cece could be trusted, "If we have this stuff now, then we can put it to use. The recording box needs to be destroyed, but it won't do much good." At Cece's curious look, Alison elaborated, "-A has footage of Hanna and Ashley driving off with Wilden's car. Destroying the recording box will be good, but it won't do that much. –A has more footage of it." Cece huffed. "Damn."

Alison sighed, pulling out her phone and checking the time, "It's almost 10 thirty. I'm guessing we should head off to bed for the night." She looked at the cautious Spencer, "Or do you want to be exhausted tomorrow and not get anything done?" Alison could see the conflict running around on Spencer's countenance. The other girl was trying to decide what to do, but nodded. "Just let me text Aria, Emily and Hanna and tell them that I'm not home right now. I won't tell them where we are, but I need to tell them something before they text or call me. I'll tell them that I'll see them later this week or something."

Alison nodded as Spencer pulled out her phone. "Alright."

Maya had been looking back and forth between the girls nervously and watched as Spencer started texting one of the girls, walking to the window, suspicious eyes glued to Noel and Cece. As Spencer texted, Alison walked over to Noel and Cece, facing them. "Cece, I need you to stay here, if you don't mind?" Cece smiled tenderly. "Of course, Ali. We've been long overdue for more time together." Alison smiled. She turned to Noel. "Noel, could you go back to one of the warehouses?" She whispered, "Contact Sam and the others. Find where they are and meet with them. And check the hideout you meet together for being bugged. –A's steps a head of us. Check to make sure –A's not watching us or listening in on us. And if anything else happens, shut the phones down through computer. Stay safe!" Noel nodded, smiling, trying to ignore his heart racing at the thought. –A was always ahead of them it seemed, if the bug that Charles had planted on his car was anything to go by. He kicked the duffel bag with Alison's stuff further to his sister. He leaned forward and hugged the girl. "Bye, sis." He whispered, grinning, glancing over at Spencer by the window, feeling his grin stretch when he gauged the shock form on the brunette's face.

Noel pulled away and headed for the door, never once stopping in his amused look, aimed at Spencer. _"That's right, Hastings,"_ Noel thought to himself, _"I've got Alison's love. I love her. I was there for her. You never were."_ It was awful, but Noel felt a thrill of excitement knowing that this arrogant girl was envious of him and saw that Alison trusted him, even though she didn't. And it was the only comfort he had while knowing that –A was onto them. He hugged Cece goodbye. As he did, he whispered in a deathly quiet voice, "Cece, are we sure about this?" He knew he didn't have to go further with what he meant. He knew Cece knew exactly what he meant. Were they really going to lie to their sister? And was Charles really looking out for Ali? He felt Cece nod against him and he sighed, pulling away and waved to Maya who waved back. He walked out the door and headed for his car, bent on checking out the warehouse for any bugged devices or anything else and to speak to Sam, Kira and Margo.

Noel's car started up and Alison watched as her brother drove off in the convertible. She pursed her lips. Both Noel and Cece were hiding something. She was sure of it. But right now wasn't the time for that. She could figure out what they were hiding later. They needed rest right now.

After Spencer had sent all her texts, she put her phone away and walked over to the other three. "Well, I don't know about you three," Alison said, picking up the duffel bag, "But I do need to get ready for bed. And I need to shower. Hope you don't mind." She looked at Spencer for permission to use the shower and the befuddled brunette nodded hesitantly. Alison headed for the bathroom, glancing over at Cece and Spencer, nervous about leaving them alone together. As she got in and slowly closed the door, she unzipped the bag, smiling when she saw that Cece had packed her favorite conditioner, shampoo and body wash and started undressing.

When the sound of the water turning on the shower reached the other three in the room, Spencer looked up at Cece, trying to contain her glare. "You knew." She said quietly as Cece put the recording box into the big pocket of her red coat. "You knew that Alison was alive and you didn't do anything. You didn't tell anyone. I was her best friend. We all were. Hanna, Emily, Aria, we all had the right to know she was alive!" "Yes." Cece said, nodding, a smile forming on her face, finding it kind of cute how clueless this girl was of Alison's feelings, "You did have the right. But remember please, Ali thought she was protecting you by keeping her being alive a secret. She felt guilty for how she treated the four of you. She thought you were happier with her gone. She cares about all four of you. Maybe she should have told you she was alive. But that was up to her. She asked me not to tell you four. But either way, Ali has a point. You'll benefit more by tolerating us and hanging with our team for a while."

Cece gave Spencer a charming smile that just made Spencer irritated. Great. Between Ali's vague answers and Noel and Cece being incredibly mocking, this was going to be just great to experience. Spencer snorted, looking to the somewhat ajar door. Where was –A when she needed the controlling pain in the ass to distract her?

After a few minutes of eyeing the blonde woman in front of her, she heard the water from the shower shut off and the shower curtain be pushed away. She turned to the door, hearing things being moved around, and waited, knowing Alison was now getting dressed.

When Spencer heard the duffel bag zip up after hearing the brushing sounds against teeth and water running, she figured Alison was done washing up and getting dressed. She walked over to the bathroom, grabbed the door handle and slowly opened the door when she heard toothpaste being spat out into the sink and the running water from the faucet. She saw Alison wash off the toothbrush and put it back into the packet, kneeling down and dropping the packet into the duffel bag. Alison's red coat was on the bathroom floor, the condensed backpack on top of it, along with the rest of Alison's clothes.

Alison turned back to the mirror, pulling on her dark blue pajama shirt fully, buttoning it up, as she did, Spencer's eyes fell to Alison's exposed abdomen. There was a small scar just above her hip. The scar though, didn't detract from the radiance that still exuded from Alison. Rather, all the scars that Spencer had seen and the four years of absence had only seemed to add to Alison's confident persona. Spencer took a step back from the door, really looking at Alison now who pulled her soaked mane of gold hair out from the collar of her shirt and let it flow down her back. Alison was looking down at the last few buttons she was doing, so didn't notice Spencer standing there. Spencer narrowed her eyebrows. There was something strangely wise about Alison now. Just her presence gave off the aura of someone who had lived far too long, in the body of someone so young. Even before she had left, there had always been an old presence to her, too cynical and morbid personality, and eyes looking far too wise and knowing too much for a thirteen-year-old.

And now? Now, there was just a calm, firm persona she possessed. Beneath that, a strange knowing and wisdom that Spencer couldn't divulge. Spencer's brown eyes wandered to Alison's pale neck, seeing the curve, leading to the cherub face. Bright blue eyes, half-lidded shifted toward Spencer curiously. Spencer jumped and quickly felt the excuse come out, face flushed, "I, um, just wanted to mention that all the sleeping bags are set up. I guess whenever Cece changes. Is she sleeping here?" God, Spencer kicked herself at just how lame that excuse was. Alison just smiled, showing no evidence of noticing something was wrong. "If you're okay with that." Alison offered. Spencer nodded. "Yeah." She mumbled, "I'm good with that." She figured, if there was any way to keep that recording box out of anyone else's hands and to know what was on those USB drives then keeping Cece close would be a good idea.

Spencer quickly ducked out, face aflame, wondering what the hell she was doing.

Alison lifted an eyebrow as Spencer disappeared. Had she been imagining it, or had Spencer just been-? Had she really just-? Alison felt her heart skip a beat at the thought. She wet her lower lip unconsciously, something she'd never do in front of anyone outside of her chosen family of her own free will. That was crazy. And even if it weren't, it wouldn't be healthy. Alison could go over at least a hundred reasons why her heart raced at the thought of Spencer looking at her like…like she wanted her just tonight alone, but she knew it wouldn't be right. Spencer just broke up with Toby. She had been going through serious traumatic incidents. Spencer was not in a position to make healthy choices. For her own good, Alison wasn't going to pursue anything. She had sworn it when she had seen that Spencer had been getting better two years after she disappeared. Alison winced and straightened out her pajamas. Now wasn't the time to think about it. She lifted her head and looked at herself in the mirror and her blood froze.

Standing just behind her, leaning back against the wall, leering at her, stood a girl with a face almost exactly like hers, with a scar across her forehead, and a black hoodie on, the hood up and long white-blonde hair spilling out of the hood, with an animalistic grin on her face. Alison gasped and whirled around, staring hard at the wall.

There was no one. Literally no one was standing behind her now.

Alison huffed out, feeling a cold sweat start to break out on her skin. Had she really just seen that? Or was she starting to hallucinate? She knew how Patrick described Courtney. A girl that looked almost exactly like her. With a scar. And white-blonde hair. A lot like what Alison had just seen. Alison tried not to shiver. Had she just imagined that? She knew what Courtney in theory looked like, had she just made up that image of Courtney in her mind? Or…Alison thought about what almost happened back at Spencer's house. Was Courtney paying her a "visit?"

Alison tightened her posture, leaning down and scooping up her pack with the files inside, her coat and the duffel bag, never tearing her gaze away from the room, wanting to see if Courtney would come leaping out at any moment. She carried everything under her arms and walked out of the bathroom cautiously. She came face to face with Spencer, Maya and Cece who were all waiting and looking at her inquiringly, well two of them anyway. Spencer was averting her gaze and looking at the wall.

Despite the tension roiling off of Alison, the moment her eyes found Cece smirking, the older blonde shifting her blue eyes to Spencer and back to Alison suggestively, Alison groaned, pulling her duffel bag and coat to one side of the room, towel still over her soaking hair, dropping the items in her hand to the floor, holding onto the backpack and glowered at Cece, pointing to the bathroom. "If you're gonna stay here, I'm thinking you need to shower and change. Move it. And don't let any of those USB drives out of your sight." Her voice was harsh, but she could see the amusement in Cece's eyes as the older moved to the bathroom with her own bag, her hand cupping over a pocket. Cece said nodding to her left pocket, "I have the USB drives here. Promise. I won't let them out of my sight." Once she had disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door slowly, still glancing in humor at Spencer, Alison became less tense.

Alison sighed after a few seconds when she heard the shower turn on. This was going to be interesting to say the least. She held the backpack with the condemning files in them close and walked over to one side of the room, with Spencer watching her like a hawk. Yep, this was going to be fun.

 **Author's Note:**

 **So there goes another chapter.**

 **Awesome1: I was going to say, Courtney creeps you out, just a little? Well let me fix that and make her creep you out a lot. That was my intent. At least, that will be the case in next chapter. And now she's gotten Charles to convince Noel and Cece to lie to Alison. So yeah, that might be a problem.**

 **Guest: Thank you, the part about making mistakes was a good point. I'm afraid even the most well trained soldiers can make mistakes, let alone a bunch of vigilantes. Obviously the redcoats-and by redcoats-I mean my own writing, will have to be a bit more careful. Unfortunately, most of them are made up of half-assed murderers like Kira, so that's that, but I will keep in mind.**

 **As for Alison telling Spencer what she's told her…I'm not so sure. Remember, Alison's had four years in this to change. Even two years, like in the show is a lot of time for a person to change. And Alison was different in the two years later when the girls ran into her in New York, the writers messed that up, which I severely hope I don't end up doing even accidentally, and remember, she's facing the girl she's in love with, who already knows she's alive. I don't think much more secrecy (outside of protecting Shana, Kira and Sam, who aren't on the girls' radar) was necessary. Spencer at least needs to know who to look out for as an enemy, and she and the girls were already suspicious of Cece and Noel.**

 **She told Spencer stuff, but only what the other girl** _ **needed**_ **to know. Alison's not just a secretive person. She's more complex than that. That's one of the problems I think the writers had with her character. They didn't know what to** _ **do**_ **with her besides using her secrets. They didn't know how to develop her as a character, so they butchered her character progress throughout season 6 and 7. I'm severely hoping I don't end up doing that, so thank you for the warning and the review.**


	29. Are you sure I'm the threat?

**Warnings for violence, language, sexual abuse, other abuse, mental illness and captivity.**

 **Chapter 29: Are you sure** _ **I'm**_ **the Threat?**

When Alison heard clothes being taken off and a backpack being unzipped, Alison faced Maya and Spencer, still gripping onto the backpack for dear life. She sat down on a chair next to another window, keeping the pack with the documents low behind the duffel bag, determined not to let Spencer notice it or inquire about it. So much as one glance at Spencer's Radley file, and the brunette could have a nervous breakdown.

Either that or accuse Alison of fabricating the file for another one of her extravagant plots. The twisted part of that, Alison actually hoped that of the two possible reactions, Spencer claiming that the blonde had invented the Radley file was the preferable reaction. Better that than endangering Spencer's mental health.

Spencer kneeled down and unzipped one of the sleeping bags, glancing at Alison. "All those times you visited us," She said, more anger creeping into her voice, "And you never told us you were alive?" Alison let out a laugh, smirking, "Really? Is that what you think?" Maya looked between the two girls, unsure whether or not she should be listening to this conversation. In the car there hadn't been much of a choice with the close quarters, but now she knew she probably should go somewhere else for this conversation.

"I actually told Aria I was alive when I visited her when she was drugged by Meredith. The night you found out I was alive. She didn't believe me." Alison smirked, "There was a body, so I kind of can't blame her. I also told Emily when I pulled her out of the shack when she was…" Alison sent a worried glance at Maya, whose head had lifted at Emily's name. "When she was suffocating."

"Wait, what?" Maya demanded, looking from Spencer and Alison now frantically. "Another –A thing," Alison answered, dropping the backpack so no one would look at it, "-A tricked Emily into going into a shack and turned on these fumes of a car. Emily was fine after I pulled her out, just disoriented." Maya took a moment to process that, gasping, eyes huge. Alison gave Maya a look of sympathy. Hearing that the girl Maya cared about so much being in even more danger had to be overwhelming. Spencer cut into Alison's thoughts with a curt, "You didn't say you were alive. She said you didn't say anything except claim that you knew who –A was." Spencer was scowling, "If you knew, why didn't you tell us?!"

Alison frowned. Ah. Here it was. She was going to have to admit that she made a mistake. "I _thought_ I knew who it was." She clarified. "I was wrong. I only found out about Mona after Noel told me about him seeing you and the other girls at the cliff, when Mona fell that night. And I did tell Emily that I was alive. I guess I wasn't the clearest when I told her."

Alison tried not to smirk at her own cryptic words that she had said to Emily. Yeah, maybe not the clearest to say the least.

" _Because two can keep a secret, if one of them is dead."_

Maybe that hadn't been very clear. Though Alison had hoped Emily had understood. The implication had been there all right. Two could keep a secret if one was dead, then there shouldn't have been any worry, should there? Emily would have realized that Alison was alive. At least, a part of her had hoped that when she had said those words to Emily. Even though she had been so sure that the girls were better off without her, a part of her wanted them to know she was still alive, even though she didn't want to admit that.

"You guess." Spencer snorted, "Who did you think –A was at the time?"

Alison didn't move, her blood starting to chill. Could she say it? Could she really say who she thought –A had been during the girls' last semester? Could she really talk about _that_?

A flash of her once mother, Jessica DiLaurentis standing over her, piling dirt on top of her daughter, crying out "What have you done?! What have you done?!" almost exploded in Alison's mind. She swallowed bits of bile as the memory taunted her. Sure, she had accepted long ago that Jessica could never be her mother. Not emotionally or otherwise. She had all but officially and legally cut the woman out of her life. And Alison had been taken in by women that had clearly been happy to provide her the love that Jessica had denied her, but it still hurt to remember what Jessica had done to her that night. "It doesn't matter," She forced out, keeping her face cool and maintained, "I mean, it's not like I was right. The person who I thought was –A, wasn't –A, obviously. It was Mona and her cronies. So it doesn't matter anymore."

It didn't matter that she had once suspected her own biological mother.

Or that she had _wanted_ it to be Jessica that had been doing it. Because that was just the type of person Jessica DiLaurentis was. She played her games with people because she could. Because she lived off of other people bending to her.

She had been wrong, but it had fit so well, hadn't it?

Alison knew her cryptic and subtle words weren't convincing Spencer. The brunette was still studying her like she expected more, or a confession of some kind. Alison sighed, feeling her smirk come back, leaning against the back of the chair. "It doesn't matter who I thought it was. What matters is who it is now. Whoever that may be." Alison found her throat still dry. She wasn't surprised at all that her skin tingled with nervousness. If there had ever been a time when she hoped to be wrong, it was now. Unlike Jessica, she could possibly pray that her twin, Courtney was not –A, that was if she was actually religious or believed in an afterlife.

But she couldn't say that she had suspected Jessica. Even if she had given the woman up as her mother, even if she had decided even before she had been buried alive by the woman, that her abusive biological mother should never have had children, and had tried to get Alison to shift the blame of the texts from her stalker earlier to Spencer, making their fights worse, she still knew she couldn't say that she had thought Jessica to be –A in the beginning. Whatever else she was, Jessica _had_ still given birth to her and Courtney. If nothing else.

Spencer glowered, eyes going to the floor in thought. "And you still don't know who that is?" Alison sighed. And here came yet another lie. Thankfully her face was completely neutral. "No. I don't have a clue. No more than you do." That inky black blob of guilt that Alison had felt over time, spilling all those lies to Spencer and the other girls, keeping secrets from them for years stretched out and encased her mind again, but she maintained her cool, calm expression. "Great." Spencer responded, still studying the other girl's expression but found no evidence of a lie.

Alison knew right now they couldn't move on with the conversation, not unless she wanted to risk further investigation on the other girl's part again. "Sorry, Spence," She offered regretfully, "We have more information, but we're not an all knowing group. We're not psychics." Okay, so some of them were. Carla Grunwald, Jack and Sabrina were, but here was the problem with psychics-premonitions often couldn't be relied upon. Premonitions weren't always accurate or specific, so the reliance wasn't always there. And visions, as Alison had learned from their group psychics, were often very muddled. That was why in movies, TV shows and pretty much in any story period, having psychics never worked. It was true to reality. Visions and all their muddled messages never really helped at all. And sometimes those visions were inevitable. And sometimes trying to prevent them actually made said visions occur.

She tried to go into another direction. "I'm sorry. I know we're not being very helpful right now." Alison forged a smile, "I can't say that we know everything, because we really don't. Do you think we'd be right here talking about it if I knew who it actually was?" Spencer was contemplating what the other said, finally stopped asking questions. Whether Alison was telling the truth or not, there was likely not much they could do right now. She just had to make sure Alison, Cece and even Maya didn't leave her sight for tonight.

"I guess not." Spencer said at last, sitting down on the drawer where she had taken out the sleeping bags. Her shoulders sagged. "You'll excuse me if I wanted –A finally gotten rid of."

Alison nodded. "I _do_ know, Spencer. I want the same." Of course, hoping Courtney could be taken without the girl being injured, but Spencer didn't know that of course.

Spencer shook her head, "You could never know how much. We've all lost so much of our lives to –A. I've been applying to colleges, but I'd be really surprised if I got into any of them by this point."

Alison scoffed at the exclamation. "My foot. If they don't take you, then that's _their_ loss, and they don't deserve you." Spencer gawked at the high praise, stunned. Alison raised her head, meaning every word she said. And why shouldn't she mean it? It was true. Any university would be lucky to have Spencer.

Maya watched the two and slowly went over to some books lining the shelves, deciding to look at them, realizing this was something she probably shouldn't be listening in on too much. Her detachment from the situation went unnoticed by both other girls and the two kept their gazes on each other. Alison continued, voice firm, "It doesn't matter if you don't get into Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton, or any shiny Ivy League school. Just because you don't get into those schools doesn't mean anything. The school you end up going to won't define you. You're more than just a freaking school or your grades. And just because an Ivy League school is the school your parents want you to go to doesn't mean that you automatically _have_ to go to one."

Alison mentally cursed at herself for saying what she said. It was true that she was hoping Spencer and the other girls would have happy, safe, normal lives after all this, and she meant it when she said that any and all school would be lucky to have Spencer at their institution, but she had sworn to herself that she would stop sticking her nose into their business. It wasn't her place to tell them what to do or even suggest it. It never had been. Still, Spencer was going to stress out about college, and she knew it. Spencer's parents put her through so much stress, put too many expectations on someone so young. Alison knew what that looked like all too well. She didn't just need to see Spencer every day four years ago as proof of it. All she had to do was look in the mirror. Her parents had done the same thing to her.

She knew damn well what those kinds of expectations and that kind of pressure could do to a person that young.

"I," Spencer sputtered, still stunned, "What…...those schools are some of the best schools. Not that it's any of your business, but I need to get into those schools."

Alison sighed, trying not to be too hurt over what Spencer had said. No, it wasn't her business. But she wouldn't just stand back and do nothing while Spencer's life was dictated by other people. "No, you don't. No one has to go to a school they don't want to." Alison smiled, "I believe if you do something based on someone else's orders, that's not really living your life." As soon as she said that, Alison winced. Damn it. Well, there was her foot jammed right into her mouth. She hadn't meant to say it like that. Damn it. She mentally kicked herself. She opened her mouth to apologize quickly, but Spencer's fire had already been kindled. She stood up, a fierce look on her face, locking eyes with Alison's.

"What are you saying? I want to go to these schools. If I don't get into them…" Spencer's voice broke off, the brunette looking so forlorn that Alison was torn between wanting to take the other girl in her arms to comfort her, or to go back to Spencer's home and give Peter and Veronica a piece of her mind, which wouldn't be too hard to do, since they'd be too busy nearly fainting over her being alive.

"Is that you talking?" Alison asked in a gentle tone, "Or your parents talking? If this was what you really wanted, that decision would clearly be completely up to you. But it's not you making the decisions is it? It's Peter and Veronica, isn't it?" Alison knew already they had gone too far now. The genie was not going to go back into the bottle. Alison wasn't angry right now, but Spencer was. And Alison had foolishly already decided to open up some wounds in her urge to "help" Spencer.

Spencer's eyes darkened in anger, in that way that excited Alison. Though Alison was faintly aware of Maya's presence behind them and the other girl getting nervous, Alison knew it was too late now. So she just decided to finish the fight now. She had to, unless she wanted the situation to escalate any more than it already had. "What would you know?" Spencer growled, "You left. It's not your business. My parents want what's best for me. They're not like yours."

Whatever plans Alison had had of defusing the situation now, flew out the window as Alison burst out laughing at that preposterous statement. Spencer was clearly taken aback by the laughter. The blonde just chuckled, left hand going to her forehead, stroking her hair from her face, "Oh Spencer, I'm sorry. But did my mother and father give you the impression that they wanted the best for me? There's a reason why I left, as you know. You're right, I left, but I do know what different types of unhealthy households look like." Alison's hand left her face and her voice took a poignant tone as she faced the perplexed and frustrated Spencer.

"Spencer, I realized at some point that I couldn't live the dreams that my parents wanted for me. Your parents might not be physically abusive like mine were, but what they're doing is not for you. It's for them." When Spencer's eyes flashed again, Alison added gently, "I had to decide at some point if I was just living to be Jessica's and Kenneth's, and even Jason's sacrifice, and I refused. You don't have to be Peter's, Veronica's and Melissa's sacrifice, Spencer. Your life is yours to live. No one else's."

The stunned Spencer didn't say anything, her eyebrows knitting together. Alison chuckled again, tone rueful. "I know. I'm sorry. I told myself that I wouldn't butt into your lives anymore, but I…I can't bear seeing you in this much pain and stress." The words affected Spencer, startling her, and leaving her speechless. For about a few seconds, till her next words were out, "I'm not in pain." Spencer's words sounded hollow, though, completely lost on when Alison actually chose to start apologizing, which, four years ago, she would never have done. Alison smiled sadly. "If you say so." She said quietly.

Maya watched the whole thing, almost shivering at the tension in the room, realizing she was listening in on something very, very personal.

Alison just nodded. "But it _is_ your decision in the end. Not your parents' or sister's, and not mine either. You do what you want to do, Spence." Alison sighed and sat back down in her chair, the dark impulses to insult Peter and Melissa being pushed aside. Right now, they had to focus on escaping –A. She averted her gaze from the brunette, keeping in mind where the backpack with the files were behind her feet, grateful when she heard the shower turn off, knowing Cece was done with her shower at least.

 **(Page break)**

Seeing Charles enter the house again, Courtney crossed her arms over her chest. "So?" She demanded, "Is it done? Are Kahn and Drake gonna keep their mouths shut from now on?" Charles snorted, "Don't jump to conclusions," The blonde man pulled his right arm inside, revealing one of their tracking devices to his sister. "I told Noel where I had put our tracking device, because I want them to trust us more. We need their loyalty if we want them to let us kill off the A-Team members. So I told them and hopefully, that gives them good incentive not to tell Ali about me and what I'm doing." Courtney rolled her eyes and started walking away from Charles as he closed the door.

"Where's aunt Jessica?" Charles asked, looking up the stairs. "Who cares?" Courtney growled, "The bitch said that she had to do some checkups at the doctor's office. Probably bribing the doc to freeze her eggs so she can have more kids to abuse." Charles chuckled. "I think she's at the age where it won't matter if she freezes her eggs or not. I think her biological clock is past it by now. I don't know specifically how old my mother is, but I'm certain they're both too old to have kids now." Courtney shrugged. "Then she already froze her eggs and wants more kids to abuse. Whatever." The small blonde turned to her brother and cousin. "When the bitch comes back, tell her that I just went out to get something." Courtney hesitated as she scooted to the back door, "That's not entirely untrue though."

Charles grimaced. "The pig?" Courtney smirked over her shoulder at Charles. "You know it."

 **(Page break)**

Noel arrived at the hideaway, car parking next to Shana's vehicle and got out, scanning the area, grabbing the black gloves from his pocket, putting them on and locked the door, going to where Shana said they were, knocking. The door opened a creak and Noel saw his sister, Margo peeking out. She smiled and opened the door fully, letting Noel in. "Hey!" Noel said, ducking in and Margo closed the door. "Is everyone alright?" Noel called out, looking from Shana, Kira and Sam, to Margo. All of them nodded. "Yeah." Margo said, "We're good. "Shana contacted me after she found out about Jack's vision." Noel nodded but brought a gloved finger to his lips. That quieted all of them as they looked curiously at him.

Noel looked pale and said, "I think we should check this place out. Scan it as much as we can, wherever we can. –A might have bugged us. Cece and I found a tracer on my convertible and got rid of it." As Noel spoke, he knew he had to decide if this was going to be a secret between him and Cece, or between all of them, to keep it from Alison, but he knew the more people knew, the harder it would be to keep that secret. So he made the choice immediately. This was between him, Cece and yes, even Charles.

At Noel's revelation, all of the girls in the room looked shocked. "What?!" Shana hissed. "Yeah," Noel chuckled, "I know, right?" "Shit," Kira growled, "Do you still have it?" "No," Noel said, thinking quickly, "I got so freaked out that I smashed it. Cece told me not to, but I was just freaked." Besides, if he hadn't given the device back to Charles, Alison and the others might have tried to track down where or who the tracer led to.

At the stunned silence in the room, Noel urged quickly, "We should start looking around. I don't think that there are any trackers or bugs here, but we should still check before we say anything else."

"Right." Sam agreed. Soon, all five people in the room, all with black gloves on their hands, started to check around the room, from inch to inch.

After almost twenty minutes of not finding anything, from the boxes, to the fridge, to the beanbags that were meant as beds, to the shelves, to the empty places of the hideaway, to the light bulbs themselves and the door itself (both places they checked, they found nothing) they finally submitted that there was nothing to be found whatsoever. Relieved, they faced each other again.

"One more thing!" Margo cried, pulling out her phones and reaching out for the others' phones. They looked at each other and all nodded. In the world where paranoia was the wise reaction to have, they had to take literally every necessary step to make sure they weren't listened in on. They all pulled out their phones and stuck them under the beanbags, obscuring whatever speakers or listening devices the already duct taped phones had.

When they looked at each other again, Noel smiled. "Okay, so speak then."

"Right," Sam said, letting loose a dry laugh. "Mrs. Grunwald called. She said Jack had another vision. This one way worse than the last." Sam looked nervous by what she was about to say. "Noel, has Cece been acting funny lately?" Noel looked confused before shaking his head. "Why?" Sam hesitated and glanced at Shana and Kira, then at Margo, who looked just as uncertain as the skateboarder did. She then looked back at Noel. "Grunwald called, under a guarded phone line, so no one could listen in, and told us about Jack's vision. It was a bad one. Apparently we had already started a massacre in Rosewood. At least, that's what the vision showed Jack." Noel's stomach tightened when he heard this, thinking about his and Cece's conversation in the car.

Jack was now having visions of a massacre in Rosewood. Was that really inevitable? Was it really going to happen? "How is Cece involved with the vision though?" Noel asked, dark eyebrows narrowed. Sam bit her lower lip and looked uncomfortable, as if she was saying something about Cece that she shouldn't. "Well," the girl began, "You see…

Shana decided to save her sister from becoming more uncomfortable and feeling like she had betrayed their other sister as she spoke up, "The thing is, that Jack saw Cece in his vision. She was wearing a black hoodie. So was Spencer. And he saw Alison's twin. Courtney. She was with them. And Wolfgang, Will, Sun, Gabe, Cyrus, Natalie, Miyako, her sisters, they were all there. They were part of the massacre. We, and Ali didn't show up at all in the vision though, according to Mrs. Grunwald. And the whole place was on fire. And three people that Jack didn't recognize that were wearing hospital gowns were running around, laughing."

Noel heard all this, eyebrows twitching slightly at the information he was absorbing. That sounded like chaos. They're massacres in a nutshell. There was a massacre on his way, and it sounded like all the others were getting ready to be participants in it. But what would Cece and Spencer be doing with Courtney? Noel's face became pale as he thought about the possibilities. The problem with some of Jack's visions, they showed what happened, but never _how_ it happened. There were flaws in there being seers in the world, to say the least.

Still, how could Cece and Spencer have been involved? Even if Cece was keeping a secret about Charles from Alison like he was, there was no way Cece would side with the –A team. Not unless she was faking it. "She wouldn't join –A." Noel said angrily. "You know that." "Okay." Margo said evenly, "But Noel, even if we're sure of Cece, are we sure of Spencer? Ali knows her, but do we? And is Ali really so trusting of Spencer? What if she's wrong? I mean, you remember Mona and Hanna, right?"

Noel grimaced. He didn't want to lump Spencer in the same category as Mona, but Margo had a point. "Noel," Sam said, now looking scared, "Is Ali _safe_ with Cece and Spencer? Should we really leave her alone there? Or Maya for that matter?" Noel snorted, though now feeling uneasy too as he thought about it, "I told you, Cece can be trusted." Kira nodded, "Well yeah, but even if she is, we've heard about the things Spencer and those other girls said when they thought Ali was dead. They say bad stuff about her, Noel. Hurtful stuff. They act like Ali's a bitch, even though they're just as bad. They blame her for everything. Are we sure Spencer can be trusted?"

Noel took a breath, thinking about this. All of them had a point. He really wasn't sure if Spencer could be completely trusted either. "Alright," He said, mind racing now, "Maybe we should have a couple of people watch the place. Shana, Margo, do the two of you remember where Spencer's grandma's house is?" Shana nodded. "Yep." Margo confirmed.

"Okay," Noel said Shana, Margo, the two of you watch the house, make sure Spencer doesn't try anything, if there's _any_ chance at all that you're right. If so, call us, and the three of us will crash the party." Kira and Sam both smirked at the promise of action. Shana nodded and she and Margo picked up their redcoats from where they lay. The five of them grabbed their phones from under the beanbags. Noel followed Shana and Margo out to the car. He said, "There might be a bug or tracer on your car. We should check." Margo and Shana both said, "Okay." The three then proceeded to check every inch of the car, its engine and the tires and the places between the tires. Finding nothing, as Kira and Sam came out, they all said their goodbyes. They hugged the others and waved to each other. Noel added to both women, "If you're right about Spencer, don't hurt her. You know it'll hurt Ali, if you do." "Right." Shana said and she and Margo headed out.

The three remaining redcoats walked back into the hideaway as they heard Shana's car start up and drive out of the area. Noel looked at Sam and Kira. "Thanks for that new reason to be paranoid." He grumbled, looking back at the closed and locked door. Kira shrugged. "We're doing what's necessary. You know that, bro." Noel nodded. "Unfortunately, I do." He really, _really_ hoped they were wrong about Spencer and Cece.

 **(Page break)**

Alison leaned back against the cabin door, listening to the crickets, smiling, the backpack with Spencer's Radley file on her back, same as always. This wasn't that bad at all. Though she had been afraid that Spencer wouldn't trust her at all, and maybe she had spoken out of turn, earning a few dirty looks from Spencer that were probably deserved, here they were, at the cabin together. It was nice though. Being able to make sure Spencer slept and was taken care of and talked with the other girl about college, made Alison feel oddly warm and happy. Maybe she had gone against her own promise to herself that she wouldn't interfere in Spencer's life again, but if it meant making sure the brunette had a free, happy life, then it was worth it. Maybe it was selfish relishing in that she might have done something right, but it was what it was.

Maya had been nervous but agreed to help watch the stuff they had as they stayed at the cabin. Cece had been teasing with them a bit as they finally got tucked in for bed, with some last warnings from Alison. Spencer had been suspiciously watching Ali for a while, till she fell asleep.

Alison looked back through the small crack between the door and the doorjamb at where Cece, Maya and Spencer were curled up in their sleeping bags, the USB drives and the recording box snuggly between Cece's and Maya's sleeping bags, keeping them guarded. And now Spencer had learned that Noel and Cece were trustworthy-though she doubted the other girl believed that. Still, even if Spencer didn't trust them, at least she knew now that they were with the redcoats, and she now knew who the redcoats were. She'd have to tell Spencer about Wren soon too. She made a mental note to do that.

A snort of breath made Alison snap her head to the right, tense, ready for a fight. "If that's what making sure Spencer gets all tucked into bed does to you, I don't even want to think about how fucking Spencer might be!" Courtney grinned as she leered at her sister from where she crouched next to the redcoat. Alison didn't move, she wasn't even sure she _could_ breath. Here she was. No mask, hood off, scarred face, grinning at her.

Having Courtney here, Alison could see, even in the dim porch light of Spencer's nana's house and the light of the cold, eerie moon that they weren't identical twins. Courtney's frame was slighter, her face more narrow and her hair lighter. Her eyes were lighter too and there was a scar from her forehead to the start of her right cheek. Here she was. Courtney DiLaurentis crouching down, knees sticking out looking not that much different from a deranged creature of some kind, looking at her sister with glee and amusement, black hood down, revealing a long mane of pale blonde, nearly white hair.

"Are you really here?" Alison asked, heart pounding, already sure of the answer, but needing the mad girl's confirmation.

"You know I'm not." Courtney sneered, bright blue eyes gleaming with her madness, "I'm just jumping in and seeing how you and Spence are. Did you like my little message a few hours ago? I'm not bluffing by the way. You might want to find a way around my gag order, or else Hannakins and mommykins go to jail." Alison's jaw clenched, blood boiling and for a moment, Alison forgot her shock over seeing Courtney without a mask and up close.

"I'd watch it if I were you." Alison hissed.

"Oh but that's the thing, isn't it?" Courtney chuckled, leaning back so she was propped up against the wall, "I might as well be you, right? Oh sure, we're different people, but we might as well not be. As I said, we're exactly alike. I might be a little more…unhinged than you, but I love a good game just as much as you do."

As Alison recovered from really seeing Courtney here, she mumbled out, "This isn't a game, Courtney. We're talking about peoples' lives here. You can't just toy around with people like they're dolls." Courtney smirked still leering at the older. " _You_ used to."

Alison stiffened, a shot of guilt, reminding her what she used to be squirming into her stomach. "I regret it," She said evenly to the amused Courtney, "I'll regret it for the rest of my life. Do you want to end up doing the same?" Courtney snorted, resting her white-blonde head against the windowsill. "You think just because you feel guilt, you're a good person? What good does guilt do? People feel guilty all the time, but still commit the same atrocities that they did before. Because they excuse themselves, saying things like 'I'm just doing my job,' or 'I deserve this reward' or 'god will forgive me.' People commit wrongdoings all the time, knowing they're wrong, but don't stop. Why are you and I so bad by comparison?"

Courtney got up from where she had been leaning and started walking around the still seated Alison. Alison never once took her eyes off the other. "That doesn't excuse anything." Alison threw at Courtney. "We don't get an excuse for acting like every other wrongdoer in the world." Courtney stopped walking and turned to look Alison, smirking. "Don't we though?" Courtney swiveled around, walking slower, "You know that Rosewood cops aren't the only lousy cops in the world. Why, just the other day, there was a story about cops in Brooklyn shooting a black guy just because he had his hand in his pocket. Many of the cops there did not fire the gun that killed the man. But they were there, and they did nothing. Yet for their wrongdoings, they got no punishment, none. And do you know why? You know why they got off and why no one cared that the black guy died? Because apparently it's okay to shoot black people." Courtney's face became a devilish grin that made Alison's heart race at the maliciousness in it. "People get away with racist, misogynistic, and homophobic crimes all the time, and it's not even publically called a crime. So what's the harm here?

"If the cops can get away with anything, including being tyrants, why should the civilians who they're supposed to be protecting, do any better?" Courtney finished, swaying back and forth on her feet.

Alison shook her head, trying not to shiver at her sister's warped logic. "That doesn't mean that we get to act like tyrants." Courtney cocked her head, meeting Alison's eyes, smirking. "And murderers?" Alison didn't move for a second. "Tell me, Ali," Courtney continued, slowly walking closer, "How many people have you killed? While you're busy standing on a soapbox, lecturing me, how many people have you killed? I know that Ian wasn't your first kill. I've _felt_ you kill before. How many, sister, out of curiosity? Can you even keep track anymore?"

Alison felt her throat go dry. Her sister was asking a good question. Whatever her flaws, Courtney was right about one thing. Her big sister was far from innocent. And never would be.

Alison DiLaurentis was not an innocent person.

Alison contemplated her sister's question. How many _had_ she killed? Besides Ian, there were the explosions in the BPO labs, the fire in the city that she, Kira and the others had unleashed on Fat Bullet and his gang, the pedophiles in Boston that she, Miyako and Shana had massacred in a rage, and then there were the cultists in New Hampshire. Alison felt her shoulders sag. She really didn't know how many she had killed. She just didn't. She had tried to keep track after the first man she had ever killed in Maine who had tried to rape a girl, if only to make sure she wouldn't take anyone's lives for granted, even a rapist's, but she just didn't remember anymore.

She met Courtney's gaze, observing the satisfied, all too knowing grin on the other's face. "Don't answer," Courtney chuckled, "I already know that you can't remember. So tell me, oh noble sister, how is it, killing as many people as you've killed? Tell me, Ali, how does it feel to murder someone?" Alison scowled at the smirking psychopath. She couldn't help but feel some relief, though. If Courtney was asking this, then she hadn't killed anyone yet, right? Despite the crimes Courtney had committed, murder thankfully was not one of them. "I'm not telling you _that_." Alison grumbled, throwing a glance through the slightly ajar door, making sure Spencer was still asleep on the couch. If the brunette woke up and found her talking to herself, there would be a lot Alison just would not be able to explain.

"Hmm," Courtney mumbled, shifting closer. When Alison turned away from the door to face Courtney again, she almost jumped when Courtney ended up crouching down right in front of her, face just inches from hers. Alison looked at the other, confused. "You know," Courtney said, smirking, "Murder isn't the only pleasure that people condemn others for committing. Sex is one too. Not just rape, but just sex. I mean, have you heard how judgmental people are of each other's sexual lives and tastes? I mean, honestly, so some people like being tied up, some people like being spanked, some people like being cut or strangled. As long as it's all consensual and safety's taken into account, who cares?" Alison felt a numb feeling slither throughout her body. She did not like where this was going. And needless to say, she didn't want to be having this kind of chat with her sister.

"And I mean, it doesn't matter what kind of sex it is," Courtney elaborated, smirking and looking past Alison at the still sleeping Spencer, "Someone is gonna judge you, no matter what you do. So how about this, sis?" Courtney nodded towards the inside of the cabin, "Just have some fun for a little while. Because we both know, that no matter what you do right for this town, for these four girls, they'll never forgive you for who you used to be. They'll always judge you, no matter what you do to protect them. So just have some fun, okay? And don't act like Spencer wasn't looking at you in the bathroom. We both know she was."

Alison stiffened, disgust and unease mounting. "You saw that." She said, not using it as a question. She shouldn't be surprised. Courtney shrugged, "Of course I did. Maybe she won't say it, but I'm betting she wants you too. Besides, a little nice and good fucking from you might do her some good after Toby backstabbed her." Alison snapped her head around to stare hard at Courtney, feeling her right hand clench. "If you were actually here…" Alison warned through gritted teeth.

"You'd what?" Courtney asked, glancing down at Alison's balled up fist, "You'd hit me?" Her voice wasn't taunting, it sounded genuinely curious.

Alison mulled the question over and ignored. No. No she couldn't. She knew what damage physical abuse did to someone. Who she had been years ago had been proof of that. "No." She said at last, unclenching her hand. "I'm not going to do to you what our mother did to us for years."

Courtney snickered, looking back at Spencer. "Jessica never hit me. She just locked me up like I was an animal."

Alison stared at her sister, all anger and disgust leaving her for a moment, pure empathy hitting her, heart hurting for her sister and what their mother had done to the girl. "Why?" She asked at last, voice almost trembling, "Why did she lock you up?" Courtney turned back to Alison, smirk still fixed on her face. "Oh, Ali, you should know this game. If I told you that, where would all the surprises go? I can't tell you that just yet, it would spoil the surprise. Now, speaking of Jessica, why are you being such a prude over Spencer? It's not like the woman that gave birth to us was discreet at all when she went behind Kenneth's back and fucked Peter."

Alison cocked an eyebrow at how much Courtney was cursing. Boy. For a moment, the pain that came with thinking about what Courtney had gone through at Radley warred with some amusement. This girl didn't know about subtlety, did she? She couldn't blame her poor sister.

"I don't think we want to follow either Jessica or Peter's example, Courtney." Alison threw back, quite sure that Jessica and Peter were outstanding examples of what _not_ to do in a marriage.

"Meh," Courtney lobbed, smirking, "Infidelity, who cares? But that's the thing. If human beings stopped being so prude, maybe there wouldn't be such a stigma over it. Animals have sex all the time. Why are we any different?" Courtney went back to leering at Spencer through the slender crack of the open door, making Alison turn to the door and slowly close it. This earned her a pout from Courtney. "Selfish." She mumbled, getting up from where she crouched down in front of Alison. "What was I saying again? Oh, right." Courtney twitched and her body convulsed, making Alison sit up straight. "Courtney?" Alison asked, concerned. Courtney grinned wide and giggled hysterically, making Alison almost jump. "Sorry," Courtney giggled, "Just a psychotic habit." Courtney's body stopped shaking and she just smiled, "Forget it. It happens. Just like people acting like they're better than everyone else just because they haven't had sex." Courtney's back straightened out as she started roving around again, "Or someone saying that they're wiser because they've had a lot of sex. Our society has such a ludicrous view of sex, doesn't it?"

Alison eyed Courtney, caught off guard. Hadn't Patrick said that Courtney hadn't twitched around or anything like that? Maybe Courtney could contain her habits, to a point. Trying not to let Courtney know what she was thinking, Alison asked, "So you've said. What's the point of this now?"

"I'm just saying," Courtney grinned again, "That it seems kind of funny that the ones preaching about what is right when it comes to murder or sex, are the ones breaking those rules regularly. Just look at cops, politicians and priests for fuck's sake. So if the people in power get away with committing such supposedly vile acts but cover it up because they don't want people to know they dabble in it, what's to stop the supposed flock from committing the same acts to experience that bliss? What I'm saying is, Ali, you're trying to be so good and self-righteous, you're ignoring your own desires. Have you lost all your need for Spencer while you were trying to be a better person?"

Seeing her sister tense, averting her gaze, Courtney chuckled, "Of course you haven't. And before you try to be even more self-righteous, as we've established, you've killed people. My guess? Countless victims." As Alison kept her eyes averted, Courtney lowered herself again, leaning close to Alison's ear as she breathed out, "Let me ask you this one thing before you go off to bed and tell yourself that you're not like me. All the people you've killed, when you took their lives, Ali, how did it feel? How did you feel when you were bathed with their blood?"

The question should have disgusted Alison. She knew it should have, but she knew she couldn't lie to Courtney either. If she wanted the other girl to trust her, then like Spencer, she had to tell Courtney the truth. Still, the answer just couldn't come out. It was buried under loads and loads of denial and words that she had repeated to herself over and over to keep herself from going over the edge and being afraid of looking the children in their family; Patrick, Sofia, Victoria, Julia, Jack, Jin, Kirana, Takuma, Rikona, Jesbir and the other children in the eyes and letting it known just what kind of monster she was.

"Come on, Ali," Courtney urged, "You can say it. I won't tell if you won't. But we both know the answer anyway. How did you feel when you killed all of your prey? When your hands were slick with blood? When you were high on the deaths of those whose lives you snuffed out?"

Alison closed her eyes. She knew Courtney wasn't really here. Not physically, anyway. But she could feel her sister's presence, feel the other girl's breath, feel her eyes burning into her sister. Inevitably, Alison knew what the answer was, and knew it was the one she had to give to Courtney. She had to tell her sister the truth, no matter how brutal or unforgivable it was.

Alison finally opened her eyes and stared off into the woods around the cabin. "Alive." She said at last, releasing a small, pained laugh, knowing that this admittance had done nothing. Just spoken what she and Courtney already knew.

Alison didn't need to see Courtney's face to know her sister was grinning. She felt the other lean in closer. "I knew it. Are you sure _I'm_ the threat?" Courtney whispered into her sister's ear. "And you know what else? Spencer's like us too. She hasn't killed yet, but she will. And when she does? She'll feel the bloodlust and the power burn through her, just like you always do." Alison turned her head to glare at Courtney. The younger stood back a bit as Alison's eyes trailed up to Courtney's scar, going from the girl's forehead to her cheek. "Who did that to you?" Alison asked, now fixated on the younger's scar.

The pale-haired girl didn't answer as she smirked, slowly disappearing, image becoming see-through. "Courtney," Alison repeated, voice now strained, "Where are you? Please just let me help you, sister." The dark smirk on Courtney's face widened. "I'm not the one that needs help. See yah, sis." Courtney giggled before disappearing.

Alison watched as her sister's image vanished and sighed, leaning further back into the wooden wall of the cabin. What did she do now? Sure, she had seen her sister's face, up close, without her mask, but did that make a difference? No, it didn't. She had already known that she was looking for someone that looked just like her with a few small differences. And she had already known that Courtney was as batshit crazy as hell. But what good had this little meeting done? Nothing.

It had done nothing.

It had just confirmed that Courtney knew that they were alike, and that her sister wanted Spencer too. That part didn't make anything worse or better. Just confirmed everything. Alison peered back up at the stars. What did she do now? How could she help Courtney? Could she even do it? She thought about the mad gleam she had seen in her sister's eyes. Did her sister even _want_ to be helped?

Behind Alison, within the cabin, leaning against the wall and listening in through the open window, was Cece. She tried to ignore her rapid heartbeat, shivering at what she had heard. She had heard Alison talking to someone. But she hadn't heard anyone else's voice. Had Alison been talking with Courtney? Had she literally been having a conversation with her psychotic twin?

Cece pulled away from the window, jarred, and hobbled over to the door, looking back over at the sleeping bags where the other three slept. She turned back to the door and pushed it open, looking down at Alison who turned to her, startled. "Cece?" Alison asked, curious, "What's up?" Her dark blue eyes became wary. "Were…were you listening?"

"What? No." Cece laughed, already knowing it was no use, "Of course not." At Alison's lifted eyebrow, the older blonde deflated. "I heard you, Ali. Only your voice. No one else's." Alison shifted, worried by what Cece was saying. Cece breathed out, walking out of the cabin, closing the door and kneeling down, sitting next to her sister. "Look, Ali, I know how your connection with Courtney works," She wrapped her left arm around Alison's shoulders and pulled the younger close, planting a kiss to Alison's forehead gently, smiling at how the younger smiled from the action.

"Love you, Cece." Alison said quietly, making the older hug the younger tighter. Cece knew that Alison was loyal, and loved her just as much as she loved the younger, but hearing Alison talk to someone that wasn't physically there-talk to Courtney, her unease grew. "I love you too, Ali," She said, hiding her fear, "You should get back to bed. We need to plan as soon as we wake up, and we should all get a full night's rest." Alison smiled, showing a big one but not fooling Cece at all. "Sure, like you've never pulled an all nighter of partying and was able to function the next day." The younger remarked, smile turning to a smirk as she got up from the wooden porch.

Cece chuckled, getting up as well, "I believe if I've done something, it's a model example of things not to do so as not to follow my mistakes." Alison shrugged, "Well, staying up all night isn't so bad. We've done it before. I guess time to get to bed."

Cece smiled and followed Alison inside, closing and locking the door before doing the same with the window she had been listening in on Alison through. She wasn't going to mention the fears that were on her mind. Not that she wanted to be secretive from Ali anymore than she already was being, but she had a feeling that Alison already knew.

As they got to their sleeping bags, slipping under them, Alison pulling off the backpack that she never seemed to let out of her sight, putting it in the sleeping bag with her, whispering quietly, "Night, Cece." And Cece smiled, mumbling the same back, she watched as Alison wrapped herself up in the bag. Cece laid her head against the puffy material, making out the three dark figured bundled up in front of her. She took one last glance at the USB drives and the recording box between her and Maya, in reassurance. She wasn't disconcerted by any means by Alison talking to herself. She knew it hadn't been necessarily _herself_ she had been talking to. Alison had been speaking to Courtney, and that scared Cece for an entirely different reason than any worry for mental stability.

There was a question of just how much influence Courtney had on Ali. Alison pretended that she was at peace a great deal of the time, but her dark side was always lurking, just like it was for every human being. And the problem was, that just like every other person in Rosewood, Alison was very familiar with her dark side. How much an affect could Courtney have on her sister?

Cece turned more to the floor, burying her face in the sleeping bag. _I'm not scared that you'll make a mistake. I'm scared that I'll lose you._ Cece's pained thoughts stayed with her as she drifted to sleep fear for what Courtney might pull next plaguing her, along with wondering if telling Alison the truth about Charles might make a difference.

Outside the cabin, in the woods stood Shana and Margo, both having heard the "interaction" between Alison and this Courtney. Margo looked nervously at Shana behind the brush where they were hiding. "Ali has conversations like the sensates?" Shana's breath was low. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm hoping that's all it is." At Margo's questioning look, Shana said, even if Courtney can get into Ali's head, at least Alison doesn't have to deal with one more thing. Being mentally ill." Margo shrugged. "Well, she's still connected mentally to an insane person." Shana sighed. That _was_ true.

 **(Page break)**

 **Hours later**

 **Connecticut:**

The morning light poured in through the kitchen window into the room through the white curtain, shining on both the mother and her daughter.

The small girl put her toys and rubber ball back into the plastic bin where all the toys were kept, her mother, Adriana Castell sat at the table, stirring her morning coffee. Sofia grabbed the plastic white handle of the plastic orange cart and rolled it across the room, the cart full of shaking stuffed animals, trembling from the movement the girl was putting the cart through. Having long since gotten used to the noise, Adriana just sipped her coffee and turned the newspaper pages, till she heard Sofia stop and speak up, small voice worried, "Mama?"

Adriana turned to the girl, mid-sip of her coffee.

The little seven-year-old asked, almost looking worried about asking again, "Do you know if Ali and Sammy are coming back soon?"

Adriana didn't move at that. Only after another second pass, did she lower her cup back to the table and regard her youngest. "Fia, sweetie," Adriana began gently, "I've told you. Ali and Sammy have things they need to take care of in Rosewood. They'll be back soon." Sofia nodded, face lowering sadly, watery smile on her face, pulling at Adriana's heart painfully. "I know mama. But _how_ soon?"

Adriana winced and was about to answer when there was a startling knock on the door, making both mother and daughter jump and turn to the door. Adriana looked at her daughter and said gently, "Wait a moment, sweetheart." She got up from the table and walked to the door. Adriana reminded herself where the weapons were in the house, before sliding back the pale curtain from the square window beside the door, revealing a figure Adriana recognized.

Shigeko Yamashita.

Adriana sighed, dropping the curtain. Miyako's older sister.

If it had just been Miyako that had come, or Miyako plus one of her sister's or more, she might not be concerned, but if it was only one of Miyako's sisters that was here abruptly and without any call to prepare Adriana, the woman had a feeling this was a serious matter that was about to be talked about.

"Sofia, sweetie?" Adriana called out, unlocking the front door, "I need to talk to Shigeko about something important, so can you go to your room, just for a little while and play with your toys?" She could feel Sofia's frown at the request but opened the door slowly, looking at a tall, cool faced Shigeko with short black hair in a ponytail and dark eyes watching the other woman with collected calmness and focus.

"Hey, Shigeko." Adriana said, not sure where to begin. Shigeko gave a small smile, "Hello, Adriana. May I come in? There's something that needs to be discussed." Adriana nodded, opening the door wider and gestured for the other woman to come in. Shigeko walked in smoothly, smiling and turned to where Sofia still stood, looking curiously at who was coming into the home. Sofia grinned when she saw the warrior in the room.

"Aunt Shigeko!" Sofia cried happily, dropping the cart's handle and a stuffed animal she was holding in her other hand and ran over to the tall woman. "Hello, Sofia. I missed you, little one." She leaned down as the girl jumped up, the two embracing. Shigeko patted Sofia's back as the overjoyed girl squeezed her arms around the woman's head fiercely. "Fia," Adriana chuckled, closing the door behind her, "Don't try to crush Shigeko's head. She needs that." Shigeko let out a chuckle, somewhat unbecoming of one as serious as she was, and she pulled away from Sofia. "It's alright, sweetie. I don't mind. Now, Sofia, is it okay if I talk to your mommy alone?"

The small girl frowned but looked between her mother and aunt and nodded, releasing the woman and walking to her stuffed bunny and bear, grabbing them both and heading to her room. "We can watch something later, right?" She looked over at Shigeko and her mother. "Of course, sweetie," Adriana answered, "Whatever you want. Beauty and the Beast this time, right?" The girl shook her head. "Uh-uh, I want to watch Aladdin. We can watch Beauty and the Beast when Ali and Sammy come back, right?" Both women tensed, but kept smiles on their faces. "Sure, honey." Adriana said as the small girl ran off to her room.

When they heard the girl's door shut, Shigeko turned to Adriana, standing up fully and walking to the dining room table, nodding to a chair. "May I sit down?" Adriana smiled, "Sure. Go ahead." Shigeko seated herself right next to the seat with the mug of coffee in front of it, facing the other woman. "So," Shigeko began, eyes hard, "Shall we begin? I think we both know what we're going to talk about." Adriana sighed, resigning herself to the inevitable talk. "Yes. I know. Concerning the kids we have in common." Adriana hesitated as she sat down, hands on the table in front of her coffee mug, facing the other woman. "And Rosewood."

 **So yeah, that's not good. The possibilities of violence are getting closer.**

 **Awesome1: Yep, Courtney's very creepy now. But at least Alison got to help Spencer a bit.**


	30. Preventing a Witch-Hunt in Three Weeks

**Spoiler warnings for season 4.**

 **Trigger warnings for mentions of abuse, child abuse, trauma, murder, and implied future animal death**

 **Chapter 30: Preventing a Witch-Hunt in Three Weeks**

Courtney parted from her brother, smirking at how concerned he looked when she left the house. He had good reason to be worried, Courtney had a plan, she knew he wouldn't approve of. The pig was just a side plan. A little hobby. Her other plan was so much more beautiful and precise. It should be held as one of the more spectacular ideas that she had had. So much more beautiful than the little prank she was going to pull on the girls with this pig as a means to an end so that they'd be under her control. No. Her brother thought of the small things in life. She and Ali, on the other hand? They saw the big picture.

She stood now at the wooden fence of a farm, a heard of pale pink, happily eating, fat pigs guzzling down the slop that they regarded as food in their long, shallow, wooden troughs. "Alright then," Courtney laughed, walking over slowly, making two of the pigs lift their heads at the oncoming noise, "Which of you little piggies am I gonna slaughter? I'm thinking all of you are just about fat enough to get sliced up now." The sadistic girl glanced at the windows of the barn, she saw a couple of people inside, too busy moving hay to notice anyone outside with the fat piggies. She shifted her bright blue gaze to the pigs, reaching into her pocket and pulled out her switchblade.

She raised the black pocketknife with the skeleton emblazoned on it and pressed the button, flicking the blade out, the sharp, silver weapon unsheathed. Almost immediately, three of the pigs squealed and backed away. Courtney growled and glanced up at where the people were in the barn, backing up slowly behind the tree that was in front of the fenced area. The two men in the loft above the pigs didn't seem to be moving though. One of them glanced down and went back to work. Courtney glanced out at the men from her spot, and saw that some of the men were going down a shoot, climbing, carrying the hay they had to the stables where she heard horses neighing.

She smirked. Perfect. The morons were preoccupied.

Putting her hand into her pocket where an object, obscured by her hoodie bulged, she retrieved a long, thick, brown rope and started tying it in a noose. She wouldn't wrap it around the little piggy's neck yet. It might choke. It would be tied around its abdomen. She came back around the tree and looked at the only remaining pig behind the fence. The other pigs, as if sensing death being near, had retreated to the far end of the yard. She smirked at the oblivious animal. Looked like the animal that deserved to die had chosen it's time. Stupid little pig. It had no self-preservation instincts. Reminded her of four little girls she knew back in Rosewood.

She neared the pig, smirking again as it sniffed at her, not understanding the danger at all, and she kept in mind that she had a cloth in her pocket that she planned to gag the pig with in case it made any noise, and went over the path she had taken from the train in her head. She could sneak little piggy here onto the train and off at the Rosewood station from the back, where there were no cameras at the station.

Courtney grinned, flashing the switchblade at the pig again, just to make sure the animal was as stupid as Emily and Hanna were. The pig was. It didn't move. It just looked oblivious.

Courtney almost laughed and put away her switchblade, opening the gate and stepped in, wrapping the rope over the pig's head and leaned down, picking up the pig's front hooves, one after another and tying the rope. "We're going on a bit of a trip, piggy." Courtney grinned, reaching into another pocket and pulling out an apple. The pig's eyes lit up happily as she held the apple up in front of the pig's face and the pig started following her out of the yard. Courtney kicked the fence closed when they were out and put the apple in the animal's mouth. As the pig started chewing, Courtney pulled it along, occasionally pulling the apple out of the animal's mouth to make it walk after her faster.

She again fought a laugh. She might as well give this piggy as much food as possible. It would only make up for the fact that she was going to kill it soon.

 **(Page break)**

 **Connecticut:**

Shigeko regarded the other, shorter woman. Adriana spoke up quickly, "Would you like anything to eat or drink?" Shigeko smirked. "Don't try to stall, Adriana. So to answer your question, no. I would not like anything. Thank you though. Now then, shall we discuss a serious matter? We both know that this has been waiting long enough."

Adriana breathed out, nodding, knowing there was no way of getting out of this talk. Adriana waited for the questions, half expecting what they'd be, but mostly dreading them. Shigeko Yamashita, a woman, who as a teenager, with her three little sisters, had come with their parents from Japan, Nagoya, to America years and years ago. Their parents, strict people who believed in upholding the old ways of their samurai ancestors, had, without any question, taught those beliefs and techniques to their children. The only problem was, their father, Ryota, didn't quite understand how beating and calling his children worthless was dishonorable. This "lifestyle" choice on Ryota's side, came from self-disgust for having daughters instead of sons. Suffering from misogynistic teachings from his father, the man mistreated each daughter thoroughly, horrified that _he_ could possibly have brought women into the world. Shigeko once told Adriana that she had heard her father snarl, when her youngest sister, Takara was born, _"No more children! I can't stomach another weak bitch!"_ Their mother, Miwa hadn't done anything, too happy just to be supported by her husband, financially. She only added to the abuse by calling her children disrespectful for not obeying their father.

Now, there wasn't any proof, but here was the thing, five years after the family had come to America, when Shigeko-who when she had first come to America with her family had been seventeen, and after all four sisters had gotten the training they needed from their father and could do it on their own, their house had mysteriously caught fire. Ryota and Miwa had died inside. Now, there was no evidence that any of the daughters had been involved in any way, but anyone who learned about the abuse, which like Adriana, pretty much everyone in the redcoat family now knew about (but no one outside of them did), it wasn't hard to draw conclusions.

But there was literally no evidence. By all accounts, it was an accident. And none of the daughters had even been there that night. Or at least there wasn't any evidence that they had been.

And even if there had been, who would have been dumb enough to go up against them? Shigeko, a lawyer had too many connections. And the other sisters had way too much dirt on the crooked cops all along New York, Connecticut, New Hampshire, amongst other states for the police to actually do anything. Adriana suspected the four sisters were just waiting for the dirt they could use against the cops in Rosewood. The only thing that stopped them from exposing Wilden and Garrett Reynolds in the NAT videos was Alison not wanting her four friends, who were also on those tapes to be shown to the public in that manner.

Shigeko, the oldest of the sisters and the mother of little Takuma, now almost six, and an aunt to many children, including to Alison, the woman had many good incentives to defend her family. Adriana knew without question that none of the sisters were to be trifled with. Even the supposedly most relaxed of them, Takara, who joked as much as Noel and Cece, and Alison herself did, was as dangerous as a full-grown tiger. Anyone who thought that relaxed meant weak, when it came to Takara, would be making a grave mistake. Adriana had seen Takara look at full grown, armed men as if they were toys to be played with, all with an amused smile on her face and twinkle in her dark brown eyes.

"Alright," Adriana said, "Let's start then, shall we?"

Shigeko nodded. "Very good. So the question becomes, as I'm sure you know, when do we strike?" "You mean, if we strike, right?" Adriana said quietly, tapping the mug with her right index finger nervously. "If?" Shigeko asked, leaning back against her seat. "I don't think so. We know what kind of town Rosewood is. It's a ridiculous, self-fulfilling town, full of people that only look out for themselves. It would be a mercy to everyone to get rid of that blemish."

"Blemish." Adriana snorted, "Nice thing to call a town full of people. You know, living, breathing people with lives? I'm sorry if you find those too much of an inconvenience. And if you believe that those that exist solely to look out for themselves should be punished, what do you think should happen to us? Or anyone of the redcoats?" Shigeko smirked. "This is survival, dear. Not a good vs. evil movie. And an inconvenience? No, no. No such thing as inconveniences, just obstacles. But I assure you, you know just as I do, if there was a mass of people who deserve to be killed off, it's the people of Rosewood."

"And you know that Alison, Shana and Noel have people there they care about, right?" Adriana said, lifting her eyebrows at the other woman, finally taking another sip of her coffee. "What would Miyako say?"

Shigeko shrugged. "She knows what's important. She won't try to attack while Alison, Shana and Noel and the others are there. I know how important they all are to her. To us." Yes, Shigeko _would_ know, wouldn't she? Shigeko, the mother of Takuma, who had been married only once in all her life, forced to marry young by her abusive father, but had loved the man, despite it and when her husband had died in a car crash-again, Adriana felt like one could draw conclusions on the circumstances of the said husband's death, but there was absolutely no evidence-and while Shigeko grieved-(regardless of whatever involvement she might have had in the man's death), Shigeko would admit later on that it was a blessing for her independence, had come to wear her husband's ring around her neck as a momentum, and currently was wearing it; the small, silver token dangled from the black thread hanging from her throat, against her stark black, stainless shirt, the green and red gems encrusted into it gleaming in the sunlight leaking in through the windows. Shigeko would know, she who wore her husband's ring everyday of her life. And while she had had no children from that marriage-again, Shigeko deemed it a blessing, but had adopted and loved Takuma to no end; would always guard him no matter what. She understood what was important, alright.

As did the other sisters. Natsuko, who having witnessed her sister's disastrous marriage, simply went to a sperm bank and had gotten two children out of it that way; two daughters, Jin and Kirana, one of them, Jin, was going to turn eight in February, the other, Kirana was going to turn five. Though Natsuko went off and on, dating both men and women alike, she vowed to never marry. However, she valued all of her family, from her two precious daughters, to her sisters, to all of the extended family. And Takara, considered the most unruly of the four, jumping from one woman's bed to another, had had, according to her, and her three big sisters, only two real serious relationships, both of them with other women, though she refused to speak about them, not letting anyone that close. Takara, being a child of abusive parents and seeing the suffering of her big sisters, as any child under those circumstances, didn't let anyone close to her heart outside of her siblings and niece and nephew. After Natsuko had told Takara about the sperm bank, Takara, at the age of twenty-two had done the same, though her sisters had told her she was too young to do it, Takara of course hadn't listened.

Nine months later, it had been the first time in a long time when Takara had let someone as close as she had let her daughter, Rikona close to her. That had been six years ago. Rikona and her cousins were like siblings, growing up as closely as they grew up together.

And Miyako, the second youngest of the four sisters, as could be as firm as her oldest sister, but could be as unpredictable as her younger sister, Takara. Miyako had never seemed to care about marriage, but took her dating choices seriously, unlike their baby sister of the four of them. Miyako, who, from what Adriana could tell, was pansexual, and didn't care who the partner was, as long as they were loyal and intelligent. However, from everything Miyako had told her sisters, for a time it seemed that she was completely disinterested in having children. Of any kind. From marriage, from a sperm bank like two of her sisters had, or adoption like Shigeko, none. And for almost three years, that had been the case.

And those two and a half years later, Alison DiLaurentis had showed up on Miyako's front steps, only hiding when the woman had come out, hearing noise outside. Adriana wasn't sure of the details, as she hadn't been there, but she suspected that as soon as Miyako's eyes had met Alison's, all plans Miyako had had of not having children, of any kind, had gone right out the window. And a few weeks and months later, varying on which person it had been, various people had dropped by, being runaways or homeless kids who had become close to Alison before Ali had met Miyako and Miyako had taken them, at the least for Alison's sake. Noel and Shana, though neither runaways nor homeless, had come in as well and had come to see Miyako as their mother as Alison had.

Two months after Alison had first met Miyako, Alison had run into Adriana, trying to burgle the woman's house and had gotten caught in the act. Sam had come into their lives later, after Alison had convinced the girl and some other abused children at the orphanage to run away with her.

During those years, Adriana had learned to fear the four Yamashita daughters. Anyone with even half a single brain cell would know that that was wise. Whether it was Shigeko's humorless warnings, Natsuko absentmindedly looking at someone as if they were fodder, Takara sadistically grinning at her prey like she was going to decimate them in seconds, which she could, or Miyako going to great lengths to explain the physical means and philosophical reasons behind removing someone's body parts and organs, you knew for a fact, these were not women you wanted to make enemies of, not now, not ever.

Worse, they had all the laws, legal necessities to make sure they'd be taken care of and protected from the law, if they were ever caught. Which of course, they never would be.

"Are you going to tell me you don't believe that the people of Rosewood, or at least the higher ups of that place," Shigeko grumbled, "Don't deserve to die?" Adriana shook her head, "I don't disagree with that. I know what they did to our Ali. What they've done to a bunch of children in that town. And there are probably more victims that we don't know of. I wouldn't be surprised at all. And I know no one's been caught. Otherwise we would have heard about it. But remember, not everyone in that town is responsible for Alison's or the other victims' abuse." "No," Shigeko agreed, "Not all, but many of them stood back and did nothing. Many of them turned a blind eye or treated her abuse and other children's as normal. Are you going to tell me that that doesn't make your blood boil?"

Adriana sighed. She wasn't going to lie. Yes. It did. It infuriated her. Even thinking about the horrors that Alison, her adopted beloved daughter endured in that town, and everyone else turned away from it, made her want to set fire to the town herself. But she knew that there were many, many people in that town not responsible and many others who hadn't even known about the abuse, couldn't possibly have known because it had been so well hidden and Alison's biological parents had made it clear Alison wasn't to open her mouth about it.

"But there were many who really didn't know," Shigeko admitted, saying what the woman across from her was thinking, "Which is why I wanted to speak with you first before we did anything." Adriana gave the Japanese woman a confused look before Shigeko gave another rare smile and said, "You're reasonable. And both Miyako and Takara respect your opinion." Adriana was startled by that. Miyako and Takara respected her? With Miyako, it was hard to tell what the woman was ever thinking. And it was hard to believe that Takara respected anyone besides herself and her immediate family.

Besides, the very first time Adriana and Takara had ever met had ended with Adriana yelling at the other woman to get out because Takara had smirked and offered herself to the older woman, so Adriana wasn't sure Takara had a grasp on what respecting someone meant. After Adriana had demanded that Takara leave, the flirtatious younger woman (who had had her katana strapped to her back at the time) just kept smirking as she left, as if impressed. Adriana would always remember Takara's response.

" _Alright, geez. My loss. Can't blame a woman for trying, can you? Anyone who has eyes would try. You're frigging hot."_

Still, it was flattering to hear something like Takara and Miyako respecting her.

"Alright," Adriana laughed before she could stop it, "Let's say I believe that that's really your reason for being here. What advice can _I_ offer for a bunch of samurai descendants? It sounds like you already have everything figured out."

"Not everything," Shigeko shrugged, "No one will catch us, that goes without saying. We know how to destroy literally all the security, through computers, and we know all the entrances of the town that we can cut off, should anyone try to escape the massacre. We know the population. We know who to spare and who not to. All we need to know now, is when we should go in. It will of course be when our people aren't there, unless we have no other choice. As long as we know, Ali, Noel, Shana, Cece, Sam, Kira and Margo are safe."

"And the four girls that Alison cares so much about?" Adriana threw back, "And their families?" Shigeko chuckled, "Yes, yes. They'll be safe too. You worry too much." Shigeko raised her right hand, cupping her chin in her right palm, her black sleeve rolling down, revealing some of the scars the woman had gathered from rigorous training with her father, and some of those scars, Adriana wagered, not just scars on the woman's arm, but on other parts of the woman's body, were from the woman's sisters in training as well.

"They'll be safe," Shigeko repeated. "We'll have people keeping the girls and their families from leaving the area while we're destroying the town." Adriana snorted. The subject matter they were discussing sounded like something out of a gangster movie, or out of a mass murderer's diary, not a conversation that two single mothers, one an honorable warrior woman, and another an engineer would be having, but she had learned a long time ago that white and black morality had no place in this world. That was for those who were into fairytale endings because they couldn't handle the real world and politicians who made it that way so that they could be more successful in life, whether it be for money, land, sex or privileges. Life, at best was made up of grey. Often, ugly, harsh, disgusting and wavy shades made up reality, and that was a fact of life.

Adriana had accepted that she could indeed kill someone the moment she had held her daughter in her arms. If it was for Sofia, she knew, lying in that hospital bed with her newborn daughter, she knew she could kill. Her boyfriend, a man whose name she still cursed, the wretched Connor-the man she thought would help raise her daughter walking out on them because he didn't want to be a responsible parent, had only strengthened her resolve. The second time she had realized she could kill, had been when she realized that she loved Alison like a daughter. And the third time, had been when the same had happened with Sam. Though Adriana had no direct blood on her hands like Shigeko and her sisters did, Adriana knew she _could_ do it, if it came down to it. And she had turned the other way, many, many times. Kept the secrets. Alison's, Sam's, and all the others' secrets.

Her two oldest daughters, Sam and Alison, she knew, were killers.

And she said and did nothing, knowing that. And would continue not saying or doing anything for the rest of her life, and she knew that too.

She wasn't innocent any more than Shigeko was.

Adriana sighed, thinking. "I assume the sensates are getting restless."

"You know they are." Shigeko said dryly, "The last time I talked to Nomi, she spoke of shutting the whole town down, and Wolfgang and Sun going in to retrieve, Ali, Sam, Noel, Shana and the others. It's been a long time since I've seen Capheus, Kala and Lito look that fierce. They're ready to go to war. We all are. So we had better decide what to do, soon."

Adriana nodded, closing her eyes, mind racing with grim thoughts. Well, Shigeko was right about that. Adriana had seen her fair share of what the redcoats were capable of. If there was so much one more transgression against them, there was no telling what would happen. "Don't be fooled," Adriana said dryly, "Just because a situation looks like it needs violence, doesn't always mean that it does." "That is true." Shigeko nodded. "I understand that. But that doesn't change the fact that there are people at Rosewood who want Alison dead. And as I'm sure you can relate, that's an unacceptable turnout." Shigeko said it so clinically, dark brown eyes, so dark they were almost black, glinting like onyx never shifting emotion, but Adriana knew what would happen, should anything befall the woman's nieces.

Hell, Adriana herself would unleash hell. But Rosewood, Adriana knew should hope that they receive her wrath instead of Shigeko. If Adriana eventually killed for one of her kids, it would be painful, but in theory, quick. If Shigeko got to them? There was no telling how long their suffering would last. Despite the unemotional calmness in Shigeko's eyes and on her beautiful face, Adriana knew there was a dangerous storm brewing.

"They won't hurt Ali, or any of them." Adriana promised the other woman, "They hurt Ali and they'll have to deal with all of us." The woman took another sip, trying to calm herself down. When she pulled the mug away from her lips, she looked at the other woman again. "What was the last thing Miyako heard from her?" Shigeko shrugged, "Pretty much the same thing the last time _you_ heard from her, I suspect. That everything, for now is fine, and that they found evidence that –A was in Radley as a child." Adriana started at that. Wait, what? Seeing Adriana's startled look, Shigeko's eyes widened.

"Oh," The black-haired woman said, surprised, "You didn't know? Well yes, Miyako told us that Ali told her that they found something on –A, possibly. At Radley. Noel went in, and found some things out. I don't know what of course, but that's what they claim." Adriana groaned. "Great. More wild goose chases. Just what we need." "Alison seems to think it's different this time." Shigeko offered. "Let's hope." Adriana grumbled. A slight smile touched her lips as she thought of the very first shenanigan she and her two older daughters had gotten into. "You know, I think if someone had told me that I'd come to love Ali and Sammy this much and would go through this for them, I don't think I'd believe them. Then again, I would have been happy to be in my oblivious bubble of just Sofia and me at the time. I didn't realize how much I'd gain by taking in Alison and Sam."

Shigeko nodded. "I don't think any of us know what we get into in life, at first. I know that when I first took in Takuma, I was sure it would be a simple task and I wouldn't fall completely in love with him. I was wrong. And here we are, willing to destroy anything in our path. If that wasn't how we were supposed to be, we wouldn't have had these overprotective instincts. Humans were meant to kill to protect their families. That's how humanity has survived as long as we have, despite all our flaws and stupidity." Adriana smirked. Both a praise of humanity's ruthlessness and deriding humanity for their idiocy. There were times Adriana wasn't sure if Shigeko empathized with the human race or pitied them; she certainly saw herself as _above_ them.

"Well," Adriana began, "If we're going to figure out a plan of attack, shouldn't we know who our targets are?" "We have an idea," Shigeko said absentmindedly. "We know about Mona. And the Gottesman boy. Then there's Spencer's older sister, Melissa, and Wren the doctor. There are also Darren Wilden, Noel's girlfriend, Jenna. But that's the extent of our knowledge. I feel like there are more people involved. More than Alison and Noel are letting us know about." Adriana nodded. So she wasn't the only one that felt like that.

"Well," Adriana said, "I know this will lead us to a longer conversation than we really want to get involved in when it comes to suspects, but who do you think is involved?" Shigeko rolled her eyes. "Anyone could be involved. But if you want my opinion, I don't trust those girls." Adriana's eyebrows narrowed. Those girls? Shigeko couldn't be talking about the four girls that Ali loved so much, could she? At Adriana's stunned expression, Shigeko sighed, "Really? You're not even a little suspicious of them? They were there that night when Alison was hit in the head and buried alive."

"But Ali drugged them." Adriana protested, shivering at the thought. A part of her had once held open the possibility that one of those girls might have been the one to hit Alison, but had dismissed it immediately when Alison did nothing but praise the girls with adoration and love in her eyes. No. People that Alison loved so much couldn't possibly have done that, right? When Adriana thought of the girls Alison described to her, Adriana didn't picture people that would hit Alison in the back of the head with a rock and stand back as their friend was buried alive.

"So?" Shigeko urged, "Wasn't one of them once drugged and they still dug up a grave? Are we sure the drug Ali gave them would have stopped them? And I've heard some of the things from Noel, Shana, Margo and Cece about what those girls have said about Ali since that body was found. They've said some very underhanded things about my niece. You wouldn't like what they've said about your daughter, Adriana. I assure you. Miyako doesn't like it either."

Adriana swallowed. She didn't want to believe it, but a remorseful Alison, that Adriana had found one night, sitting on the couch, unable to sleep, had tearfully once told her what kind of person she had been at that time in Rosewood before running away, to other kids who she deemed inferior, to adults, even to her closest friends, those four girls. It wasn't impossible, but she still didn't want to believe it. Still…

"Talking about someone badly after you think they're dead isn't the same as actually killing them." Adriana defended. "True," Shigeko admitted, "But what about blaming Ali for everything even though they were there too and did nothing while Alison was bullying people? How about them being happy that she was gone? And let's face it, the coincidence that they were there, right around the time that Alison was hit in the head is pretty damning."

"Maybe," Adriana snapped, "But I don't see why Jessica DiLaurentis would have protected any of them. Maybe Spencer." She thought about it. Would Jessica have protected Spencer Hastings, the daughter of Peter Hastings so as to protect her and Peter's son from any scrutiny? She shook the thought away, not accepting that Spencer had done it for a second. She and Alison fought a lot, but she didn't accept that the girl that Alison described to her with love, adoration, affection and tenderness could ever do such a thing.

"We're dropping them as suspects," Adriana warned, "And never mention to Alison that you think it's the girls. Not now, not ever." Shigeko smirked. "I'm not a fool. I know better than to utter that thought to her. I'm not foolish enough to think that she'd forgive me for accusing them of that." "Good." Adriana said, glaring down at her mug of coffee. A thought sprang into her mind. She turned and looked at Shigeko.

"The mothers?" Shigeko gave Adriana a puzzled look. "Hmm?" The black-haired woman asked for elaboration. Adriana sighed, "I know this might be grasping at straws, but didn't Alison tell us once that her friends' parents didn't like her? What if they decided to do what they thought was protecting their daughters? And Jessica wouldn't reveal anything because two of those parents could ruin her." "The Hastings." Shigeko finished in understanding. Adriana nodded.

"If we're going to talk about what we're willing to do for our children," Adriana said, "Isn't it possible the Hastings, the Marins, the Montgomerys and the Fields might have done the same?"

"And Jason being Peter's son would only make it more complicated." Shigeko said, thinking about the scenario Adriana had just described to her. "What about the girl that was found instead of Ali?"

Adriana shrugged. "Someone that our suspect or suspects killed before Alison and realized that they made a mistake? And then attacked Ali? What about that girl, McCullers? Or Ezra?" Shigeko lifted an eyebrow. "Board shorts?" The other woman asked in amusement. "You think that fool is capable of what Ali told us happened to her that night?" "Why not?" Adriana pressed. "He's capable of other transgressions. Statutory rape for one." Adriana let her anger leak into her voice as she remembered that son of a bitch having dated her daughter when the girl had been nearly thirteen. Not to mention he was dating Aria, Alison's friend who was also underage. In Alison's case, at least Alison claimed to have been of age and Alison claimed that they hadn't done anything except kissing. In Aria's case, Ezra knew damn well how old she was and had sex with her anyway.

Shigeko nodded. "I understand your anger, Adriana. I do. But don't let your anger cloud your judgment. Don't mistake it for reason. I think he's a pervert and dangerous. More dangerous than he lets on. But I don't believe he was the one that hit Ali. McCullers? Maybe…was she even there that night?"

"Maybe." Adriana said, "It turns out a lot of people were there that night. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole cast and crew of Broadway's the Lion King was there too." Shigeko burst out laughing, a sound that Adriana had never thought she'd hear from the other woman. Adriana went back against her chair, stunned. Shigeko smirked. "Sorry. But you _are_ right. I suspect we'll never know who was really there that night until we get to the bottom of this." Shigeko looked like she was thinking for a moment. "What about the brother?"

"We're already holding Jason open as a possibility." Adriana said in confusion. "No, not him." Shigeko said, "I mean Aria's brother. Mike. Do we know for sure that Mike didn't know his father was committing adultery? Wasn't Ali pushing Aria to tell Aria's mother?" Adriana played with her mug's handle. She hadn't thought of that. They knew just about nothing when it came to Aria's brother. He might have been there that night. Adriana snorted.

"See? This is why we _can't_ attack yet." The woman looked in point at Shigeko, "We don't know who's involved. You see how little we know right now? It will be a witch-hunt if we went in now. We'd be attacking people left and right just because they _live_ in Rosewood and _might_ have been there that night in that exact place where Ali was attacked. Are you going to tell me that that's honorable?"

Shigeko sighed, glancing at Sofia's closed door to make sure the girl wasn't going to come out any time soon. "Fine. A week." Nearly black eyes shifted back to Adriana. "If we don't see all six Ali, Noel, Shana, Sam, Kira and Cece up close and in person in a week, we attack." Adriana almost fell out of her chair. A week?! They were planning to attack already?! "Okay," Adriana grumbled, feeling the need to slam her head against the table now, "I'll just pretend I didn't point out something vital to you, literally a second ago."

Shigeko held her head up proudly. "I am protecting them. My nieces and nephew are in danger as long as they're in that town." "Alright, alright." Adriana groaned, "Look, you said that Miyako and Takara respected my opinion, right? Then let me contact Ali and the others, see if I can get them to come home before three weeks. Three weeks, Shigeko. Not one, three. Please. You know that they can take care of themselves. Just give them three weeks. They'll come back before then."

Shigeko looked like she was contemplating this for a long time. After what had probably been four minutes, but what felt like an hour for Adriana, Shigeko eventually nodded. "I'll talk with my sisters about this." Shigeko got up from her seat. She turned as she stepped away from her seat, Adriana getting up too, "I want to warn you though, the Bakers _will_ be contacting you soon." Adriana winced. Ah. The Bakers, the couple Alison had met before Miyako, who had adopted her as theirs even before the Japanese warrior family had, a married, lesbian couple, the ones that Alison brought her newborn, twin daughters, Victoria and Julia to in desperation to find a family for them. Selene and Elizabeth Baker. They had taken in the two babies that Alison had given birth to, but when realizing Alison was just as much an orphan too, even though Alison had told them her biological parents were alive. They had been able to see how much pain and loneliness Alison was experiencing and were happy to take her in too. For a time, the Bakers and Adriana hadn't had such a good relationship because of that.

Alison had practically yelled at them while the two children she had given to the Baker couple, Julia and Victoria were waking up and screaming. She told them to get over themselves and bear with each other until the situation had blown over. The situation in question had been another BPO lab that had hunted four fleeing members of a cluster that Alison and the others and their sensates had never met before. After they broke out the four cluster members from the BPO's prison and set the place ablaze, Alison getting caught in the crossfire and getting her shoulder slashed by a sensate bearing a claw like weapon, they had to move fast to make sure Alison didn't bleed to death.

That had been enough reason for all three Adriana and Elizabeth and Selene to get along just fine from then on.

Naturally, Miyako and her sisters had chewed the three of them out when they got wind of what had happened and learned that the three women had been distracted with personal matters than making sure that clusters that worked for BPO, "Dark clusters" as Riley had called them, how they had all come to call them, didn't try to kill or injure their group.

"I imagine." Adriana said dryly, "Well, I'll tell them exactly what I told you. Promise me you'll give me three weeks to get in touch with them?" Shigeko nodded. "Very well. May I say goodbye then?" Shigeko shifted her eyes to Sofia's closed doors. "Of course." Adriana confirmed, going to her daughter's room, opening it. "Sofia, sweetie," the woman said to her daughter, "Aunt Shigeko's leaving now. Come out and say goodbye." Sofia, who had been drawing pictures on her stomach, purple crayon in hand, a row of crayons littered by her, lifted her head and frowned, running out and hugging the now kneeling Shigeko. "But, aunt Shigeko, I thought you were gonna watch a movie with us." Sofia said, pouting up at the woman.

Shigeko chuckled and looked at Adriana curiously. Adriana appeared defeated and nodded. "Alright. All three of us can watch Aladdin." Adriana gave Shigeko a warning glance, "But you _will_ give a call to your sisters, right?"

Shigeko smirked, "Yes, yes. Remember Adriana, three weeks." Shigeko held up three slender, powerful fingers like the blades of daggers. "Just three." Adriana added, eyeing the other woman, "Starting tomorrow." Shigeko smirked at Adriana and the other woman immediately knew, with a cold drop in her stomach, what the Japanese woman would choose. "No." Shigeko said coolly. "Starting today. Today is the first day of the three-week limit. It starts today. Not tomorrow. Today." Adriana knew that tone of voice. She had heard it from Miyako too many times not to. Shigeko would not budge on this. The three-week window where they had to hear from Ali and the others, or else, was starting now.

Adriana sighed as Shigeko and Sofia parted. The woman turned to her daughter. "Sofia, sweetie? Why don't you get the movie ready? I'll get some snacks. Shigeko, why don't you make that call and tell your sisters, right?" Given how high Adriana's lifted eyebrow was and the tone of voice from the woman's throat, Shigeko easily caught the memo. They were going to go back to their so-called normal lives for Sofia's sake, and pretend they hadn't just discussed massacring a whole town. The woman pulled out her cell phone as Sofia ran off to her room to get the Disney DVD, and Adriana went to the cabinet to get some of the chocolate chip cookies.

Shigeko turned her phone on and started dialing in Miyako's number, walking over to a wall away from the DVD player and the TV as Sofia eagerly turned on the machine. When Shigeko started speaking in Japanese, Adriana knew that the other woman was speaking to one of her sisters. She hoped that if Sofia were to eventually pick up Japanese from her big sisters, that Sofia didn't recall what Shigeko had said on the phone and understood it, or at least wasn't paying attention. Deciding to distract Sofia, hopefully making sure Sofia never learned what Shigeko was saying on the phone, she nervously walked over to her daughter and made it clear that if the girl was to have chocolate chip cookies tonight, she'd have to eat her vegetables later on tonight, otherwise, no more snacks during the day, ever. This earned a very sad look from her daughter, but Sofia nodded.

Adriana smirked. She wondered at times why schools didn't operate more like Sofia's school did. Sofia's school started up later in the year than other kids' schools did. All mothers would be far happier if they had more time with their children with the lives they had. Adriana knew she'd be much happier though, as soon as she was certain that both Alison and Sam were safe. She'd have to make the call later to make sure that either of them or hell, any one of the redcoats outside of Maya-as she was new, to contact Shigeko and her sisters and keep a witch-hunt from occurring in the next three weeks.

 **(Page break)**

 **(First day of the three-week deadline):**

 **Brookhaven:**

After making sure the pig was safe back at the house, making Courtney nearly die of laughter when she had seen her mother's expression. The woman's pale face had nearly made the girl keel over. Dear lord, Jessica's face had been funny when she had seen the pig. The said animal was now in the basement of the house, eating away at some slop Courtney provided for the beast, along with a big bucket of water. As she had told the disturbed Charles, who had been staring at the pig as if someone had just told him that the animal had appeared out of thin air, they would keep the pig would be staying with them till she decided to execute it.

Only an hour after Courtney had brought the pig to her aunt Mary's home, tossing the beast into the basement with its food and water, she had demanded from her brother to track Wilden down and finish the job.

Wilden was a threat to her Ali. Her other half was in danger as long as anyone working for her, Charles and the rest of those that took the name of –A existed. They wanted her sister dead. They all did. As long as they were alive, Alison wasn't safe. Courtney's mind went to Wren. Wren. Ah…

As Courtney leaned against the doorway of the train, she contemplated her old playmate from Radley. The one that had scarred her across the face for interfering when Wren had…Courtney swallowed her disgust as she recalled the incident. But her interfering had done nothing, right? There had been nothing she had been able to do. But there was something she could do now. And that was keep her sister safe. By any means necessary.

Courtney saw the sign for the area out of the opening of the train and she grinned. The train curved as it turned and she leapt out of the opening, before it could get to the station. She wasn't interested in getting out at the station. Where she was going was right ahead. Far, far ahead. Besides, the station that the train was stopping at most likely had cameras. And she couldn't risk any camera catching what she looked like. No matter how much time had past by, Alison DiLaurentis, the face of the missing girl from Rosewood was still all over the place, the town and the Internet. Courtney couldn't risk being seen.

After a long dash through the woods, her legs not stopping in their momentum as soon as her feet had hit the ground, legs shaking on impact. She careened through the woods, knowing exactly where she was headed, face hidden beneath her black hood.

She had an old friend to see.

She knew that Charles didn't approve of this at all. She remembered the fear in his eyes when she talked about in deep elaboration about how she wanted Wilden to be killed. Courtney knew that Charles thought that she didn't know what he felt about her wanting the town destroyed. He was scared for her.

Courtney knew that. She jus didn't care.

After about ten minutes, Courtney finally got to the house, stopping behind two, long, low-bent tree branches. Her piercing blue eyes stared down at the house, knowing it was well-guarded, knowing that in that house, there were multiple people that had been trained in fighting and firearms and that there were many firearms as well in that building. That wasn't going to deter her, though. She knew who she needed to see.

She felt the item in her black hoodie's pockets, with gloved hands. A small pair of binoculars. Good, she hadn't lost them. She'd take them out in a second.

She moved her hand to her pants pocket and pulled out her phone. She started texting her twin. Alison had a great deal wrong. She wanted her sister to know about her. Why else would she have let her birth certificate be seen? She wanted her sister to know about her. Even though she knew her sister trusted her about as far as she could throw her. But she decided she wanted to offer Ali a bit of a reason to trust her.

Wren. She would lead her sister to more information on Wren. And she knew just the lure to do it.

She sent the text to her sister, smirking. She'd let Ali figure it out. Her sister was smart. She'd realize what was happening here. Or what had happened in Radley and that she had seen it.

After putting her phone away, sure that she had sent an intriguing enough message to get her sister's attention, she pulled the binoculars out and put them in front of her eyes, looking through them at the windows. She could see the two people who she assumed were Jack Grunwald's parents walking around. She spotted Mrs. Grunwald herself sitting down, holding her grandson close as he slept. Courtney recognized the kid. The boy who had the wisdom to run from her. Not intelligence, wisdom. There was common sense, but the boy had known what she was.

And then there was her little friend, playing with the dog, "Zoomy." Patrick.

Courtney felt a smirk spread. She started circling around the house, making sure she was hidden in the bushes so that the dog didn't spot her and start barking his head off like last time. Unlike in Ravenswood, she didn't have any tranquilizer darts that Wren had provided for her. Once again, her mind was forced to be on Wren, and a snarl, mixed with a giggle left her throat, body shaking, barely gripping the binoculars close. Wren. That snake. What he had done to Spencer in that place…

She growled and circled around, behind a large oak tree, seeing Patrick run to the front door and leave the house, going to the yard where dozens of toys and basketballs and soccer balls. As she hid, Courtney saw what Patrick was looking for. A bright yellow Frisbee. She assumed for the dog. She took one last look at the house, noting that no one was actually looking through the window at the outside, and seeing that Zoomy was on the couch, looking out the window all the way to the left and not facing her, she ducked out and spoke loud enough for Patrick to hear. "Hi, Patrick!"

The boy jumped, almost yelling, brown eyes going wide, till he saw Courtney. For a moment, Courtney worried that the boy might start yelling for help, but he dropped the Frisbee to the ground and grinned. "Hi, Courtney!" He said happily, running over, "You're back! I'm happy to see you." He to her, looking up at her, smiling. Courtney smiled back, pleased to see that whatever it was the older redcoats had told him, hadn't had any affect on him. Good.

She tried not to grin, knowing that that might look threatening. It was always nice when the fly so willingly flew into the spider's web.

She gave as forced a pleasant smile as possible and leaned down, putting a gloved hand on his head, ruffling his hair as he giggled. "And I am glad to see you too, little man." Courtney said.

Yes, she was glad to see him indeed.

For Patrick was her newest little puppet in this game.

 **(Page break)**

 **Rosewood:**

Alison watched the others get everything together. She looked to Spencer, thinking on what was going to happen today. Today was a school day, so it would be a problem if Spencer didn't show up at the school. "What exactly is the plan, Spence? If you see the girls or your family today, there needs to be some explanation." "I know. No kidding." Spencer grumbled, still unsettled by everything, not that Alison blamed the other girl in the slightest.

"I'll come up with something." Spencer grumbled shortly. Her deep eyes looked to Cece. "And what are _you_ going to do with those USB drives? Or that recording box?" "Spence-" Alison began, trying to keep her voice calm. "Nah," Cece said, winking at Alison, smirking before she turned to Spencer. "I'm not dumb, sweetie. We have plenty of flash drives to save those videos. And we'll show you them later, if you're really still suspicious." Spencer still looked like she didn't believe anything Cece was saying as the older blonde continued to speak, "And this little thing?" Cece reached into her pocket and pulled out the recording box that made Spencer tense up. "Don't worry. I'll destroy it."

"I want to _see_ you do it." Spencer snapped, making Cece laugh, sound like bells.

Maya's eyes widened. "Wow, hey, that's kind of-" Maya was trying to find the right word. As far as she had experienced, Alison's group had been nothing but trustworthy, while Spencer, Emily and the others had lied to her. She wasn't sure she could really say anything to support Spencer right now, but she could certainly say something to support Cece. "She'll destroy it." She looked at Cece, "Right?" Cece nodded, smile widening at both Maya and Spencer. "You betcha."

Alison was about to reassure Spencer whens he felt her leg buzz. She looked down at her leg when she felt the vibration against it. She reached into her pocket, pulling out her phone, checking the new text, really hoping it wasn't who she suspected it was.

Her heart fell when she saw the blocked number. Of course it was her. The text said, _"Tell me, Ali, what does a brainiac and a doctor have in common?_

" _A. They're both cuckoo._

" _B. They both have brown hair._

" _C. One has a dog and another has a cat._

" _D. Answer A and B._

" _I'm guessing you already know the answer, sis. Part of the answer's right on your back. The other part, I know you took from Radley too."-A_

Reading the message over and over again, she felt her throat clog up, her skin prickle, feeling like ice. She heard Cece and Spencer's questionings, "Ali? Ali?" But her brain just couldn't process her own name right now. –A knew about Spencer being in Radley. Because of _course_ she did.

Courtney knew. And by the "on your back" comment, that comment wasn't hard to deduce. Courtney was talking about Spencer's file. And Wren's file? It seemed like Courtney didn't know where that one was hidden, but she _did_ know about it. Alison's heart pounded. Her mind was starting to make a connection. A reason why Courtney wanted Spencer so much.

Courtney had been locked away. Since she had been what, six? Five? And she hadn't escaped till 2009. How old had Spencer been when the brunette had been in Radley?

Alison shivered. Courtney had met Spencer in Radley. They had known each other.

Courtney had had contact with Spencer in Radley when they were little.

Of course…that made so much sense.

And if Wren had had contact with Spencer, then Courtney must have known him too.

 **Author's note:**

 **Yeah, so Courtney and Spencer possibly knowing each other in Radley probably isn't a surprise to anyone, but there it is. And now Patrick is well in Courtney's sights. Not good.**

 **So, as you see, there's a deadline. I've pretty much told you what a strong possibility there is that Rosewood will be destroyed. It's only a question of if Ali, Sam, Kira, Noel, Shana and Cece will get the hell out of there and prevent it from happening before then.**


End file.
